Cooking has always been an important part of Patti's life. At a very young age, Patti's mother welcomed Patti's help in the kitchen, first teaching her how to follow recipes, then how to experiment and use recipes as guidelines. Patti remembers that her mother's approach to cooking made it fun and relaxing; it was never work. By her mother's side, Patti developed her passion for cooking and sharing wonderful food with others.
In 1994, Patti started training to be a personal chef. At the time, she didn't know that she was acting as her own personal chef; she was just trying to solve one of the challenges she faced every day: getting dinner on the table after long days at work and long commutes. Once a month, Patti planned meals, shopped for groceries, and cooked and froze meals for the month ahead. This allowed Patti and her husband Tom to come home from work and have dinner ready without any work. Instead of coming home to having to decide what to cook, then cook it, eat, and cleanup, they came home and heated up a meal and had time to relax after dinner. Patti said "Little did I know that I was training myself for a future career as a personal chef"!
In 2003, after a 22-year career as a technical writer, Patti started Anastasia's Table to pursue her passion for cooking for others. By this time, she had learned about personal chefs and realized that becoming a personal chef was a way to turn her passion into a new career. While doing what she enjoys most, Patti will improve the quality of your life by preparing delicious, healthy meals for you and giving you time to enjoy the things that you love.
Patti loves a challenge and cooks for many clients with special dietary requirements. One of her specialties is gluten-free diets. Patti says "Working with clients with food allergies allows me to do research, which I love, and to experiment with new foods and techniques. I've been able to put the enjoyment back into dinner time for my clients with restricted diets and that is so satisfying."
In October 2004, Patti was awarded PCN's Golden Whisk™ Award for Newbie Personal Chef of the Year. Patti credits the support, guidance, and collaborative atmosphere of PCN for much of her success. One of her concerns about starting her own business was that she would no longer have coworkers with whom she could discuss her plans and strategies. "I was so wrong about that. PCN gives me 24-hour access to a network of personal chefs who want to help each other succeed. It's an environment that promotes sharing, which is the perfect environment for me." says Patti. Anastasia's Table is located in Londonderry, NH and serves clients in Southern NH and the Merrimack Valley.
www.AnastasiasTable.com