Growing up
in southern California, Jan and her family enjoyed a wide variety
of fresh foods. "We were eating bulgar pilaf and ethnic foods
long before they were trendy." Dinnertime was almost always
enjoyed with the whole family present. Larger family gatherings
usually revolved around a meal. "Many of my early memories
are of food -- gathering eggs from the hen house, my mother preparing
meals with enticing aromas, baking cookies with my father, gleaning
beans from the fields after the harvesters were done, using a
children's bake set to prepare tiny cakes, helping can fresh fruits
and vegetables to eat throughout the year."
Jan's early
work experience centered around kitchens. She spent two years
as a teenager on the kitchen staff of a summer camp. During her
college years she worked in college cafeterias and bake shops
and even flirted with a major in home economics. Instead she married
and raised two daughters while indulging her love of cooking by
lavishing wonderful meals and desserts on her family and friends.
After receiving
her Master of Public Administration degree, she worked as a church
executive for many years. When the organization restructured and
her position was eliminated, she took advantage of the offer of
career counseling and realized that her main passion was food
-- reading about it, eating it, shopping for it, cooking and serving
great meals, searching out new restaurants in different areas.
She returned to school, receiving certificates in culinary arts,
restaurant management, and meat cutting from the Culinary Arts
program at Clark College in Vancouver, WA. After completing her
schooling at Clark, she went to Italy for two months as a student
at the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Costigliole
d' Asti, Italia. Learning about the culinary traditions of Italy
was a highlight of her educational experience.
"Working
in a restaurant was never my goal," says Jan. "I just
wanted to cook good, healthy meals for families who don't have
the time or desire to cook for themselves. If this is your situation,
contact me. I'd love to cook for you."
artwork © Julie Christiansen
Dull
