I am founder and lead guide of Pioneer Valley Food Tours. We offer walking tours throughout the Connecticut Valley region, exploring restaurants, butcher shops, bakeries, and more to showcase the region’s food landscape. When I moved to this area 22 years ago, as a former chef, I was struck by the incredible quality of the food. It is not densely populated, but in the 1800s, the Pioneer Valley was the breadbasket of New England.
When I launched the tours, I hoped to raise the profile of this area as a food destination. I would like visitors to leave with a sense of how important local food production is and to experience the superior quality and freshness of locally grown food. My message is to seek local food wherever you are from, both to support local producers and for your own health and enjoyment!
My path here was not direct. At Penn I never considered a career in food, but cooking was always something I enjoyed. As a student, I volunteered at local soup kitchens, worked in catering, and spent a lot of time in the South Philly Italian markets. After graduating, office life did not suit me, so I decided to take a leap and pursue formal training as a chef. It was the right choice, as I worked for 15 years in fine dining and eventually paused that career to have a family. When my kids were older, I wanted to forge my own path back to food. I started a small business teaching cooking classes, and eventually I developed the idea of food tours.
Looking back, I realize I have had everything I could have hoped for in my career. The interdisciplinary nature of the liberal arts and the opportunities I had at Penn were so important to my journey. What I learned and who I became at Penn encouraged me to seek and learn to adapt. Penn was a place of possibility, and it taught me to be courageous in my pursuits and trust that my skills would get me where I needed to be. I’m very proud to be able to look back and see how moments of courage have paid off; I have no regrets. Every change and shift I’ve made has been for the better. It is incredibly important for undergraduates to remember to have an open mind. Be true to yourself and if you feel called down a new path, explore it.
Dining and Cooking