I have been told by my mum that at dinner time when we were younger she would often have to stop herself from laughing at the expressive noises I made in response to what I was eating. Even as a young girl I loved just being in the kitchen and cooking for my family and I still remember falling asleep telling myself stories about how my wardrobe was filled with cake supplies and my draws transformed into a gas stovetop. Therefore, it seemed only natural to everyone involved that I would walk down a path consumed by food.
However, it wasn’t until a completely unrelated trip to Uganda that I decided I would pursue the food industry itself. Once I returned from Africa to my hometown, Auckland, I started working for a much loved friend and professional caterer, Pearl Harper. She was my first great encourager into the industry, constantly affirming my natural way with food.
Once I was free from my studies and able to work full time, I became a professional cook at Farro Fresh in New Zealand. I managed a tiny kitchen of three staff and we cooked breakfasts, lunches, take-home meals and baked goods for around 200 people daily. It was during this time that I devoted hundreds of hours to reading about how others did food.
Now, I live in Paris. I came here to learn more about food and to live in a city that I have a strange desire to just be in. I work for a well-known café/bakery here and constantly look forward to experiencing the food from the many diverse Parisian restaurants and pâtisseries, when I can afford it.
This blog was created to help me explore and share with you, all the wonder connected with food, not only the industry but also the people who love to eat.
I hope you find enjoyment in it,
Danielle Russel
If you would like to contact me or share any of your food experiences with me, please write to danielle russel (at) gmail (dot) com.