Welcome to the Passionate about Taste blog, where I will be guiding you through a journey through international tastes, flavors and even cultures. I will be sharing unique Oil & Vinegar recipes, new product offerings and promotions. I look forward to traveling with you through unique flavors from across the globe, which we can produce right here in the U.S.
After spending my career growing up through the ranks in the restaurant industry and working in several well know restaurants in the Detroit area, I have become extremely passionate about the restaurant industry and the food industry overall. After being selected as part of the opening team of Chef Jimmy Schmidt’s Rattlesnake Club, I found my passion for food, flavors and world cuisine.
While continuing my journey in the restaurant world, I had the fortune to start working for Pan Am World Airways, traveling the world and experiencing international food and culture first hand. At the end of my career with Pan Am, I hated the idea of not being in Europe anymore so I decided to relocate to Italy where I resided for 10 years. While living in Rome, I worked for several years at a privately owned restaurant in the historical center. In 1998 I joined the Hard Rock Café as an Operations Manager and opening team in Rome, where I also had to the opportunity to train and work in Paris for several months.
In 2001 I transferred to the Hard Rock in Amsterdam, while living in Amsterdam, my husband Hakan and I, discovered the concept Oil & Vinegar and quickly became devoted customers. Oil & Vinegar is a 75-unit international, interactive upscale culinary retailer packed with international flair, flavor and passion, founded in the Netherlands. Two years later, Hakan and I approached Oil & Vinegar about opening a franchise in the U.S., where we were both hired to develop a training program for the U.S. stores. After arriving in the U.S., I was selected as the Director of Operations for the U.S. and later moved into her current position as Vice President/COO. My focus at Oil & Vinegar is operations and in particular I work very closely with the buying team in The Netherlands and am in charge of product selection and product development for the U.S. along with new store openings.
