VIBRANT. NOURISHING. FRESH.
Flagstaff Catering & Private Chef Services

 

This Polaroid, taken in my childhood home in Flint, Michigan, holds the beginnings of my relationship with food,  heartfelt and rooted in family.  I’ve come a long way since boxed cake mixes, yet my Midwest roots continue to shape how I cook and gather.

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Eventually, my family moved from the inner city to a five-acre farmhouse, where growing food became a shared labor of love. We hand-watered and hand-harvested pears, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, and apples from our land and neighboring farms. At my grandparents’ cabin wild strawberries grew freely. Summers were filled with long afternoons making jam with my grandma, and swimming and fishing alongside my grandpa. 

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Since then, I’ve lived in many places and been shaped by their cuisines: coastal and central Florida with its Cuban influences; upstate New York and New York City with Italian and international flavors; and Hawaii, where mangoes, papaya, the ocean, and biodynamic farm study quietly deepened my relationship with food. Along the way, Ayurvedic principles became a guiding thread—informing thoughtful pairings and seasonal balance, and gently woven into each cuisine to create meals that feel deeply nourishing and harmonious. Today, I happily call Flagstaff, Arizona home, where local and regional farmers, high-desert honeys, and fresh herbs straight from my own garden ground my cooking.

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No matter where I’ve lived, community has always been what makes life rich and meaningful. Cooking for you is cooking for your personal community—your people, your moments, your table. It is an honor to bring my traditions, experience, and heart to your meals.

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Warmly,
Deana

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