I grew up in a small town in Mid Michigan in the 80’s and 90’s. We didn’t have adventurous culinary experiences but what we did have was….. McDonalds and several pizza shops (why so many?!) and a few beloved greasy spoon cafes. As a teenager I felt venturesome when I visited slightly larger cities and ‘Ran for the Border’ at Taco Bell. I carried on with the tan food diet late into my 20’s but started to notice an inclination for bolder flavors and unusual (to me) ingredients. Later in life, when I met my future husband, he introduced me to so many more flavor profiles that I’d been missing out on…. and using salt to bring ingredients to life, always more salt. I was excited about exploring food for the first time in my life! Shortly after finishing my degree at GVSU, the opportunity for my dream to become an entrepreneur became a reality. The Gettin’ Fresh Food Truck was born (yes, the movie Chef did have something to do with it…. a story for another time) and I’ve been surrounding myself with curious foodies ever since. My new full time job has been exploring flavor pairings and sauces, even if I do admittedly relapse and find myself in the McDonalds drive thru from time to time.
When I’m not on the big yellow truck or orchestrating a catering event, you can find me at a local market squeezing the produce.