My culinary journey began in 1999 when I swapped high heels for kitchen clogs and traded my Wall Street tech career for a life in the kitchen. After graduating from The French Culinary Institute in NYC, I honed my craft at Les Olivades in Paris, The Savoy in NYC, and Julia’s Kitchen in Napa.

 

Next stop? Brooklyn, where I founded a boutique catering company and paired my love of food with fine wine, collaborating with Morrell Wines to craft bespoke wine-pairing dinners and tasting events. But, after nearly 15 years in New York, the call of warmer weather and new adventures beckoned.

 

In 2006, I set sail—literally—as a chef in the superyacht industry. I thrived on the challenges of cooking in new and unfamiliar places on a near weekly basis, navigating foreign markets, and haggling with locals over fresh ingredients as I cooked and sailed my way throughout the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and Mexico It was an incredible adventure, offering countless opportunities to cook alongside seasoned professionals and locals alike, while immersing myself in the flavors and cuisines of each country I visited. While life at sea was exhilarating, home eventually called, and in 2014, I returned to Northern California and planted roots in Sonoma.

 

By 2016, I launched my catering company, Spread Kitchen, bringing together my Lebanese heritage, global adventures, and love of Sonoma’s bounty. The pandemic reshaped Spread into meal kits, prepared foods, and drop-off catering. I aimed to bring fresh, healthy, and inspired cooking to a wider community, offering plentiful options for omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free diners alike. In 2021, I started selling at the Sonoma and Napa Farmers’ Markets, and in May 2022, I opened my first brick-and-mortar location in Sonoma.

 

At Spread Kitchen, we serve up Lebanese-inspired dishes with a California twist. Think seasonal, local ingredients, handmade with care and a dash of flair. Respect—for ingredients, customers, and my team—is at the heart of everything we do. Every bite is a love letter to the flavors I’ve discovered, the people I’ve fed, and the journey that got me here.