Katt (the Chef) and Chad (her husband)

 

Food has always been a major part of my life. The eldest of four children, I was introduced to cooking by helping my mother prepare the family meals. I grew up in County Donegal in the Northwest of Ireland. My family still lives on the farm they own, and they also run a Bed and Breakfast. We raised sheep, cattle, and grew our own vegetables and some fruits.

Some of my fondest memories as a child are of picking blackcurrants, apples or blackberries to make jam. I HATED gathering potatoes!! My Mum is also a great baker. We always had soda bread and scones in our bread box. She certainly sparked my curiosity about baking and always encouraged my attempts, both good and bad!

Tourism is one of Ireland's main sources of employment. So after finishing high school, with my interest in culinary, I enrolled at Killybegs Hotel and Tourism College. Having completed my apprentice, I later enrolled at The Galway Hotel and Catering College both of which are operated by CERT, The State Tourism Training Agency in Ireland.

I moved to North Carolina, settling in Chapel Hill in 1994, and was pleasantly surprised to see that Southern cooking was pretty similar to Irish fair. Some similarities were buttermilk biscuits and Irish tea scones, or collard greens with ham and Irish bacon and cabbage. These are two meals I still love to cook today!

I worked in various restaurants in all capacities for the last 15 years. Then, I decided to become a personal chef for a few reasons. I want to do what I love, cooking good food for good folks-both down-home meals and classic cuisine. Bringing my services into the homes of people where meal time is stressful whether they lack the time to cook, don't like to or don't know how to cook but still have to eat. My service provides a healthy stress free meal time.

If you love what you do you'll never work a day in your life.
That is my philosophy and I'm sticking with it.