Hi! I’m Helena, aka The Saucy Girl, and the truth is that I am obsessed with food. For as long as I can remember cooking has been my passion.…
If I’m not actually cooking, you can usually find me reading, talking, blogging, twittering, and yes, even dreaming about food. Of course, the highlight is tasting the food. Which then leads me to enjoying it, analyzing it, critiquing it, perfecting it, or just savoring it’s flavor. It’s just a delicious circle!!
I feel fortunate to have come from a family of wonderful cooks, some professional and some in just their own kitchens. I have been influenced by them all, but mostly by my Italian grandparents, Attilio & Mary, my father’s parents. Attilio was a professional chef in a large hotel kitchen in Baltimore in the 50’s and on. Some of my earliest food memories are as a little girl going to the huge hotel kitchens with him.
My Italian grandfather, Chef Attilio
But, I have to say that my fondest food memories are in my Italian grandparent’s kitchen. There was always a huge pot of pasta sauce bubbling on the stove, flavoring the air with the wonderful scent of tomatoes, garlic and herbs. Roasting meats that were succulent and tender, and one could usually expect a pizza fresh out of the oven or some fresh Italian fried bread dough.
On my mother’s side, Helen & Bill – my Austrian & Hungarian grandparents, were both wonderful cooks. Almost all of my memories of my Grandma Helen are of her either preparing food or serving food. My mother is an amazing cook in her own right and many a meal have I enjoyed at her table. And I cannot neglect the Swedish/Norwegian influences thrown in there by my step-mother’s heritage.
As a food expert and former Director of a cooking school in Los Angeles, I’m constantly around food. I love coming up with new recipes and unique, fun cooking classes. I have organized private cooking parties/teambuilding events & Iron Chef Competitions from inception to completion for Google, IBM, Disney, FOX, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, Cooking Light, Sprint, ESPN, Southern Living, Sunset, Nestle, Fandango, Ernst & Young, Bank of America, GE, and many more…
In addition, during my five year tenure as Director of the cooking school, I coordinated a yearly 10 week summer cooking camp for children ages 6 to 16. I was responsible for structuring the menu and themes, and overseeing the registration of the 20+ kids for each session.
I have had the privilege to experience a vast array of food from all cultures, and I love them all. Living in Los Angeles you don’t have to travel the world to enjoy the flavors of the world… the world has come here. There is every type of food imaginable in this city!
Over the years, as a mom & a foodie, not only have I created my own style, I have accumulated a wealth of food knowledge that I’d like to share with you. On my site you will find recipes, cooking experiences, diet tips, food tricks, easy techniques and more!
