Growing up in a small town, my life has always circulated around cooking, time together, and good food. Although I was forced to overcome many difficulties in my early childhood, cooking acted as my best friend, helping me in the neediest of times. Some people cook for good food. I cook for love. Macaroni and Cheese, Lasagna, Blueberry brownies, Banana Pie, Spaghetti. My parents are both from Southern India and have carried Indian cooking traditions since they moved to the states. Although I am not Indian by blood (I was adopted) these traditions have rubbed off on me. Being fortunate enough to appear on Rachel Ray in May of 2005. At age 12, I was filleting a salmon in my kitchen without instruction from a parent. Now, granted I was a bright kid, I did not have the ability to simply fillet a salmon on my own. Unfortunately, the kitchen ended up filleting me instead of the fish, and I landed a room in the ER.