Tell us a little bit about your career journey:

My culinary journey started in my mom’s, aunt’s, and grandmothers’ kitchens, long before I ever considered a professional career. From a young age, I knew I wanted to cook. I started learning the basics at around 16, making pizzas at Luna Pizza. After working in a few different kitchens, I decided to attend culinary school in 2018.

I moved to Boulder, Colorado, where I began culinary school while also working as a sauté cook at Frank’s Chophouse. After graduating Escoffier, and during the height of COVID, I drove cross-country back to Connecticut to continue building my career. My first kitchen manager position was at Cold Creek, followed by a sous chef position at Republic. I then spent several years at Max’s Tavern, first as sous chef and eventually as executive chef, before joining the DORO team at Avert.

What’s your favorite dish at Avert?

The trout meunière is my favorite dish. It’s a French classic and a technically demanding dish that really showcases a high level of skill. Getting that perfect crispy skin while keeping the flesh delicate, combined with the brown butter and capers, makes it a standout dish for me.

Share one fun fact that guests might not know about you.

I started with what I thought was going to be a weekend hobby: an aquarium, a few fish, and a couple of tiny, multicolored shrimp. That hobby got a little out of hand. I now take care of almost 60 tiny shrimp and about 25 fish.