Elaine’s earliest memories of picking wild mushrooms with her grandmother in Germany’s Black Forest inspired her love for cooking at an early age. This was the beginning influence on her approach of using farm to table ingredients. Growing up in the two very distinct heritages of German and Chinese, Elaine has always had fun experimenting and combining while working with whatever is freshest for the season. In Southern California, she has evolved by incorporating the techniques and ingredients of Mediterranean cuisine. “I create my dishes with minimalism in mind, focusing on flavors and textures that will arouse the palate.”
Following her passion for cooking after nearly 10 years in the corporate world, Elaine cooks with a straightforward food philosophy: “At the end of the day, I love what I do. It’s all about transforming the freshest ingredients and letting them speak for themselves in a delicious and soulful way.” Elaine is a magna cum laude culinary graduate of Johnson & Wales University, and has worked in numerous fine restaurants in Denver, CO. She is also a veteran of Suzanne Goin’s Los Angeles restaurant AOC.
