Where am I from?
 Rochester! I grew up in Webster, NY

Have you always been a chef?
I wouldn't say I have always been a chef. I believe I have always been skilled in pastry. I started learning about pastry professionally when I was 15. I earned being called a chef after college when I was the assistant pastry chef at the Riverside Convention Center.

What was my introduction to baking? 
It was when I was in a program for culinary arts in high school at EMCC in Fairport and I had a teacher who would show me pictures of different cakes she would do. I was inspired by her and did my high school internship at a bakery in Webster.

Where and how did you train?
I started out at EMCC culinary arts program learning the basics of cooking and some pastry, then I did an internship at a bakery called Diamond Delights in Webster. Went to college at Penn State Williamsport for baking and pastry arts, graduated and came back to Rochester where I was the assistant pastry chef for Vicki Licata at the Riverside Convention Center where  I received a lot of my on the job training from her. From there I managed the bakery at Hegedorns market in Webster and was the assistant manager at Special Touch bakery. Then I got the courage to open up my own bakery called Caramel Bakery and Bar where I make desserts that pair with cocktails, craft beer, and wine, and also custom catering and cakes.

Do I like cooking at home or prefer someone else to do it? 
I like cooking at home. If I have some extra time to do it, when I cook I like to find a fun recipe and make a whole nice meal out of it and have some time to drink some wine along with it. So a lot of times when I'm home, I love when my fiance is cooking and I get to get off of my feet for a while, or we love cooking together and dancing in the kitchen!

Is there a chef I admire most, who and why?

I wish I knew more chefs because I would love to learn from so many! The chefs that I look up to are ones that I have learned from Vicki Licata, from the Convention Center. I admire her because she taught me so much. School taught me basics, she taught me how tricks and tips to go off of those basics. I also admire that when she makes wedding cakes. She makes it look effortless, like its second nature to her. I also admire my Uncle Al because he is an amazing chef, I have never been able to cook or bake without a recipe. He can throw together such beautiful meals and make the house smell incredible every time he visits.

Favorite thing to bake? Savory or sweet?
Probably a souffle, which I don't get the opportunity to make often, but I have made it at home on occasion for fun. I just love the beautiful look of it when it comes out perfect and the process that gets me there. Savory would be making home made pasta. It's fun to make the dough and then shape into whichever pasta you want. Favorite sweet to eat- classic chocolate chip cookie!

Favorite food?
A delmonico steak cooked perfectly over a fire while camping, with a baked potato, and asparagus shared with fiance. Oh and chocolate!

When it comes to creativity, are you an early bird or a night owl?
I used to be an early bird, but now that I have a bakery that is a late night bakery and we close at midnight, I have kind of fallen into the restaurant life where my creativity comes probably slightly before dinner time

One kitchen item I absolutely cant do without?
My music! anytime I'm in the kitchen, home or at work I want to be listening to music, keeps me motivated!