About Stacey

Stacey is the owner of A Great Dish Cooking Studio in Annapolis, Maryland providing hands-on culinary instruction for all levels of experience.  With a "market-to-table" philosophy, the classes focus on using fresh seasonal ingredients from around the world.  Class topics include Mediterranean Cuisine featuring Spanish, French, Italian, Greek and Moroccan dishes, Basic & Advanced Knife Skills, Entertaining Menus, and Baking and Desserts.  She received her culinary education L'Academie de Cuisine near Washington D.C. and has spent countless hours in kitchens across Italy and other Mediterranean countries.  Stacey is also a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

"Cooking and baking are definitely in my blood.  My first memory of great food was when I was three years old.  I used to watch my mother make the most beautiful tiered wedding cakes.  Once when she wasn't looking, I stretched my arm up to the counter and carved a handful of cake cratering the side of a perfectly frosted layer awaiting a bride the next day.  To this day I can still remember the taste of her rich, moist cake and smooth buttercream frosting. It was simple goodness, at least for a three-year-old's taste buds!  We laugh about this story now, but I can assure you that when I am decorating an elaborate cake, I lock my kitchen doors!

Someone once asked me to describe my "style of cooking".  I'd say that it is definitely Mediterranean-inspired.  By that I mean, my recipes are influenced by the flavors of Provence, Liguria, Sicily, Apulia, Greece, Turkey and all the other regions of the Mediterranean.  I use only fresh, seasonal, organic produce and meats and I use a ton of olive oil. Whenever possible, I use as few ingredients as needed to achieve the maximum flavor in a dish. This "style" of cooking is very healthy and very balanced and so full of flavor.

I've studied food for years, I've traveled to many places and I've sampled so many different cuisines.  My goal now is to share this knowledge  with as many people as I can through my classes, my writing and my photography."