Shannon Kimball

My life observing food started at an early age watching my Russian grandmother make perovshiki. My father was the cook in our family and I made food with him from time to time as well. It was not until after 10 years in sales that I truly began to get the food bug and cooked so much at home realizing that I never became bored with food and could stand on my feet for 13 hours straight without even caring about it. This is when I had an awakening and realized that my true calling was to be a chef. I quit my great paying job and completely put everything I had into food, starting my own personal chef and catering business in 2006 and going to culinary school in 2007. Since then I have become heavily involved with our local farmers in south and central Texas, started my own sustainable cooking group chapter, Cook Here and Now. I am also a member of the Women's Chef and Restauranteurs.

And just completed a three and a half month culinary stagiare/internship in the south of France with a Michelin star Chef there. Currently I am working as a saute chef in San Antonio, Texas for a top Zagat rated restaurant and James Beard award winning executive chef, as well as writing recipes for Nickelodeon, and also continue to retain a regular personal chef client in the area.

My long term goal is to own my own restaurant or high end appetizer and catering company but in the meantime I am very happy continuing to grow and discover new exciting things I can do with food. I feel truly blessed to have found my true calling and I urge anyone else to not be afraid. My love for food devoured the terror in me a long time ago, and since then wonderful opportunities have been given to me. In my free time I like to play with my dog Chloe, hang out with my boyfriend Devin, and run or bike outdoors.