I am a self-taught cook and a product of the “third” culture mindset.  

Born in Taiwan, raised in LA - the third culture is the experience of living in two places and belonging to neither. It’s a privilege that allowed me to create something from both worlds that feels like home. It is not fusion. It is American.  

My first life began with a corporate job. In the midst of work, young kids, and my mother’s cancer diagnosis, I came into this second life. Our kids suffered from severe food allergies including dairy, nuts, oats, and even certain proteins. When people asked what they couldn’t eat, it was easier to give them a list of what they could. Over the last 14 years, I experimented with elimination diets, rotated high-frequency foods, and created allergy-friendly recipes just so they could enjoy that pizza or birthday cake along with their friends. The good news is these recipes and techniques worked and the kids outgrew most of their allergies.  

My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer soon after the birth of my third child. She is and always will be perfect to me. Chemotherapy worked to destroy the cancer, but also burned her veins. The scarring was “permanent.” Hospital cafeteria sandwiches, potato chips and soda replaced our fresh home made meals. It was a dire processed reality.  

I did the only thing I could — research what I could control. We took out sugar, incorporated folate rich foods, and experimented with various diets. She went on high protein meals loaded with kale for months. A year into chemo, the “permanent” scar tissue dissolved. It gave us hope that whole, clean foods could heal what modern medicine could not. It was our small victory.

Today, I find myself catering to a health conscious and diverse community. Although my journey has been less than ideal, messy even, something exciting happened. The last thing I thought I’d ever do is launch a website, but here we are, taking the first imperfect step to something special.