I was not meant to be a Food Scientist, or so I thought. I could never imagine myself being in the position I am in now. My grandparents are great cooks, my parents are great cooks, my brother is a French trained chef, and then there’s me. My parents would joke that I would somehow burn the water in the pot. I was the kid who ate all the food but didn’t always help cook. I was the kid who would finish their plate, ask for seconds, and then eat dessert. I’ve always had a big appetite and an appreciation for good food.

I went to college and graduated with a Bachelor’s in International Studies. I wanted to work for the UN or some other government agency. I wanted to travel the world and solve world problems. In the end, I had to solve my own problem: what I really wanted to do with my life. It took me a while to realize that was not my path. I craved something more me, more challenging - and working for the government was not the answer. Being in the arts in my younger years, musical theater and dance; I’ve aways had a creative side. The creative in me wanted to be free.

The freedom to choose what I wanted to do didn’t come easily. My parents told me to write down what I liked and that’s how I got “Food” and “Science”. Put it together and you get Food Science! Easy enough, right? I was wrong. I got into KSU’s Food Science and Technology program, and it was another 4 years of school, another 4 years of a math and science heavy curriculum. I did it! Phew. In the meantime, I worked for a company named Earnest Eats and I became their food technologist / product developer for 5 years. Most of my experience came from working for Earnest Eats and I still thank them till this day. If school wasn’t enough of a hard decision, I decided to quit my job and become a freelance food scientist. I haven’t looked back since. No, I don’t work in a lab and wear a lab coat. That’s not what Food Science is all about.

And Beaker & Blender was born – a fusion of science and food where kitchen experiments morph into unique creations.