I’ve always had a poetic view of food. Hunger-enticing aromas swirling about my place at the table and causing a most soul-filled joy. With the first bite, I pause, relishing the beauty of the flavors dancing on my tongue. Food is the element that brings us to the table where life is lived, and memories are made.
I’m an accidental chef who’s been on an adventurous and sometimes harrowing journey to live a more flavorful existence.
For me, culinary school was more than just learning how to cook, it was a door that opened my eyes to the beauty and soul-filling joy that fresh, local, delicious food brings to life.
I’ve come a long way since those early days as a new chef. After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2002, I put my culinary skills to the test and began working as a private chef, freelance food writer and farming community advocate in Seattle, Washington.
In 2013, another move took us down the road a few miles to the beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon. At that time, I decided to step back into the delicious world of full-time food writing.
During the early years of my career, I developed and taught culinary classes for the IACP Award-winning culinary school PCC Cooks in Seattle, Washington.
In 2013, I was selected the DaVinci Wine Storyteller, Culinary Arts category. From 2011- 2015, each year DaVinci Wine chose four professionals from the world of art, journalism, photography and culinary arts to travel to Italy and learn about the creation and history of DaVinci Wine. I had the glorious opportunity to visit local grape farmers, wine artisans and specialists, along with a handful of culinarians that make this region of the world so delicious. I often say, I left a little piece of my heart in Italy.
I’ve also appeared on Seattle’s KCTS 9 “Cooks at Home Show” and I’m a regular on-air recipe expert for KATU’s “AM Northwest” in Portland, Oregon. I worked as a regular food writing contributor for the Issaquah Press in Washington and I currently work as a professional recipe developer and food photographer for a select group of online and print food and lifestyle publications. I recently published the first issue of my magazine, A View to Delicious, co-published with VRAI Magazine.
Currently, I’m thrilled to be writing The Oregon Farm Table Cookbook with Countryman Press to be released Fall of 2020.
I wish you good health, happy hearts and loads of love in your life around the table,
Karista
For questions about working with me, recipe development and food photography please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
