In May of 2023, I left my PhD in Neuroscience. The reality of the 40 hour work week (for 40 more years) had hit me, and I craved a stronger passion for my work. Fueled by a childhood filled with Top Chef re-runs and a love for the Bon Appetit test kitchen personalities, I began to realize my ‘dream job’ : chef and recipe developer.

The through line between the science lab and the kitchen runs strong. Accurate measurements, clear documentation and protocol optimization were skills I had strengthened for years, and I was excited to exercise them in a playful, potential-for-connection-building kind of way.

Having my foot in the door at a locally owned French restaurant (serving for extra cash), I tried my luck bartending there. Imagining, tweaking, and perfecting cocktail recipes excited me, and I knew I was on to something. I have since bartended solo at Leonore’s(pictured), a place that encouraged my cocktail recipe exploration (<3) and worked as a line cook, then sous chef at Vern’s. I also started a pop-up restaurant concept called the Miscela Project, an Italian learning, interactive dining experience, before going fully self-employed in August of 2025. I am a practicing private chef passionate about cooking seasonally and supporting local farms. I also create short form social media content for brands highlighting recipes, products, and cookware. If it has to do with delicious food, I’m almost always ‘in’!

Xo, Natasha.