I started cooking in high school at the local drive in. Moved on to the North Rim Grand Canyon as a breakfast/lunch, two seasons. Moved on to resorts in the San Juan Islands of WA to Rosario Resort Hotel, Orcas Island, for 4 years, sous chef. Worked under a great chef/teacher named Danny Barker. Everything was from scratch, everything got used up, no waste, he helped a lot of cooks and chefs in those years. THEN: A multitude of different careers that envolved food, restaurants, farming, florist work. 10 years of Information Technology industry UNTIL: I was able to quit my day job and stay home and GARDEN AND COOK AND PAINT! And in 2012 I started a B and B in my home, two rooms, shared bath down the hall. Gives me a great opportunity to try out lots of new recipes. Highlandgardenhouse.com What is in the fridge sets the stage of what is coming up next, I can do SOMETHING with just about anything I have. I like multi-purpose simple ingredients. I like to research new receipes that use up odds and ends: old bananas, too much zucchini, anything with rolled oats, etc.