​​Lots of Love

When we were young we were asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” For a long time, I said that I wanted to help animals! Being allergic to them, however, would be a serious problem for me. I started looking at other things that I like to do like special effects make-up, cooking, and baking.

 

Well I love food, and they say if it’s possible to make something you love your job, then do it. My mom still tells stories about whenever I would get hungry I would just push the chair over to the counter, jump up, and start making something to eat. Since working with animals was out of the question, food sounded like nothing better.

 

I started by helping my mom make dinners. We began with little things like pork chops, ribs, hamburgers, pork tenderloin, peameal bacon sandwiches, caesar salad, eggs, and a secret family recipe called sweet and sour spare ribs. She also taught me how to make brownies, cakes, cupcakes, pudding, Jell-O, chip dip (which is a secret family recipe), and icing. My love for food continued to grow.

 

Soon I was scouring the internet looking for new recipes, like soda pop chicken, stir-fry, homemade chicken fingers, layer cake, chocolate chip banana bread, lemon snow, and of course, Rice Krispie squares!

 

In high school, I did a co-op at Edible Arrangements. I learned about customer service, dipping fruit, and how to make it look as amazing as it tastes.

 

In 2015, I had a Rugby accident and tore my meniscus. A few months later I began to get sick, and it continued to get worse. I became sicker and sicker as the days went on. I went to see my doctor, and that’s when I was tested for Celiac Disease.

 

Shortly after, the blood work confirmed that I had tested positive for Celiac Disease. Now, some people are born with it, however, some people can become Celiac after something traumatic happens to their body.

 

For those of you who don’t know very much about Celiac Disease, here’s the short version: We can’t eat the good stuff and it sucks A LOT!

 

I graduated with Honours from Sir Allan MacNab Secondary school in 2016. I also achieved a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Certificate, Special Effects Makeup Artist Certificate as well as the Theater, Acting, Dance and Stunt Work Certificate. While I also completed my First Aid and CPR training.

 

I played for a rep rugby team outside of school, as well as MacNab’s rugby team.  Playing rugby while maintaining an 80% average taught me so many skills! I learned about being a team player and a leader, and how to be adaptable. I had to be detail orientated, organized, and use my interpersonal skills while increasing my ability to multi-task.

 

I was then accepted to Niagara College in 2016 for the Culinary Arts Management Program. Since then, I have learned about being a hostess, gained my Food Handlers Certificate, as well as my Smart Serve. Due to my allergy and how severe it is, my professors and peers have been learning about Celiac Disease both to help me, and increase their knowledge when it comes to working on their own.

 

I have learned so much about food and the art behind it. There is so much detail that goes into hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, and desserts.

 

My goal after graduating from Niagara College in April 2018 is to open up my own Gluten Free Bakery called, Lots of Love. That’s the name I have in my head because everyone deserves to feel the love.