Why start a blog?

Ive been fighting this for what feels like a decade, but alas, here I am, ready to blog! 

Live cooking demo on Fox - Austin, Texas

I had a brief stint on Masterchef USA (Season 3, 10th place) which catapulted me out of university and into the culinary world. I was a  21 year old college dropout with no money, so what did I decide to do? Move to Hollywood of course! Well, not quite. I drove my car from Austin to LA, and got a job baking in a cafe. It was the greatest life decision I've ever made. However, I realized pretty quickly that working in the restaurant bizz with no qualifications is no piece of cake, so I signed up for culinary school... in Australia. 

It might seem bizarre, but that's kind of how I like to do things. Let's just say my decisions are never small, or simple, or completely logical. They just happen, and usually involve moving. It's probably something I'll have to talk to a shrink about one day, but for now, let's just write it off as my 'adventurous spirit,' okay?  

Now, years later, I feel equipped to write about food, and bring some opinions to the table that hopefully cary some weight. Going to culinary school and holding a few odd jobs in various kitchens by no means makes me an expert. That being said, I like to think I know good food. 

Spanish Paella

Bib & Tucker's Snapper Ceviche - Perth, Ausralia

Ive lived half my life in Indonesia, a quarter of it in America and a quarter in Australia. Ive got Indian/Iranian heritage and I've never lived anywhere longer than 5 years. All of this craziness makes me adapt to new places pretty easily, and I've found that my favorite way to connect with a new culture is through their food. Ive been to a lot of different countries, and I've eaten a lot of street food in my day. These experiences have had monumental affects on who I am as a person, and in the immortal words of my personal God, Anthony Bourdain, "Im hungry for more." 

Kecak Dance- Bali, Indonesia

On set! - Big Bend, Texas

Cape Town Coastline - South Africa

Dubai Skyline - United Arab Emirates

I hope through documenting my travels and all the delicious things I sample along the way I can encourage people to step out of their comfort zones a little. My motto in life is just try it! You might think you know what you like/dislike, but you can never truly know until you test it out. So whether that means buying a plane ticket to Hanoi or driving to Little Saigon in your local city to sample a Bahn Mi doesn't matter, so long as you feel inspired to venture out a little bit, and try something new.