I’m a home cook with a tiny kitchen, modest budget, and a passion for good food.

The kitchen has always been a kind of meeting place in my family. I have such fond memories of spending time in the kitchen with my mom, cooking all afternoon, and snacking on freshly baked treats over an episode of Barefoot Contessa. I remember spending Saturday mornings with my grandmother and great-grandmother making mounds of homemade biscuits. I guess my love for food really started there, in those small-town kitchens of my childhood.

After college, I moved to the city with my partner and into a small one-bedroom apartment. We put all of our savings into seeing the world; we love to travel and, admittedly, most of our experiences and adventures revolve around food. I love how food tells a story: where a recipe comes from, the people who make it, and how it should be eaten.

Somewhere along the way, I discovered Julia Child and — like so many others — adopted her as a teacher and sort of spiritual guide. She taught me some of the classics and inspired me to step out of my comfort zone. Whenever I’m having a bad day, I love putting on old episodes of “The French Chef” and watching Julia mercilessly beat her pastry dough with a broom handle as she recounts her adventures around France.

I guess you could say Big Kitchen Dreams has been my escape for many years in the making, all unfolding from my tiny kitchen reality — born out of that feeling of bliss from smelling a buttery apple tart in the oven and instantly being transported to the boulevards of Paris.

I hope you will come along for the ride, learn with me, and get inspired to dream big in your own kitchen.