I was born and raised in Hawaii, so my taste in food is very eclectic. I started cooking when I got to college and realized that I didn't have my dad there to make all my meals! :) So after many phone calls home, recipe books, and cooking shows, I can say that cooking has become a passion for me. I find cooking very therapeutic after a long day at work, and rewarding to see the satisfied smiles of people enjoying my meals. I love trying out new recipes. I rarely make the same meal twice in a span of months. Hawaiian food is my favorite, but it's hard to find the ingredients in California. So now I like to cook Mexican dishes for my boyfriend, pastas, and any kind of colorful fancy looking meals that impress my guests :) My dad was always the cook in my family when I was growing up, so watching him cook when I was younger would be my favorite tradition back then. These days, I'm glad to start a new tradition and cook new and interesting dishes for him to try. I love having parties and cooking all the dishes for my guests. They like to joke about my different courses and heavy planning, but it's all worth it to get the compliments and make my guests feel comfortable and full. Recently I prepared a thanksgiving dinner for 10, and am proud to say, although stressful, it was a success!!! Haven't had any big ones... yet. But I have to say I am a perfectionist and when meals don't come out exactly the way I planned, ie: too dry, flavors off, etc, it's a tragedy to me :p