Hailing from the Pacific Northwest definitely had its perks before Chef Tillie was ever a professional chef. She became a lover of food at a very early age and rightly so. She had the unique opportunity to experience the freshness of every ingredient that was at her family’s dinner table. She grew up and lived off of elk, deer, wild game birds and other wild game meat that was hunted, dressed up and prepared along with her dad, uncles, and brothers. They fished in streams with picturesque backdrops, they fished on lakes covered in ice, and she learned how to fillet a fish at the age of 8. They packed picnics to hike up mountains to pick fresh huckleberries in the summertime with purple stained mouths carrying buckets filled to the brim. They foraged for mushrooms. They produced their own wine. They often cooked over fire when electricity went out in Montana using their wood cookstove and of course when camping in the summers. Her beautiful & inspirational mother’s gorgeous bountiful garden was always filled with the most brilliant produce. So much of what Chef Tillie already knew about cooking and baking before culinary training, she learned from her talented mother--no one can bake a loaf of sourdough bread or a pie quite like Chef Tillie's mom can, absolute perfection. Both of her parents taught her to work for her food, appreciate its origin, and reap the benefits from hard work. So, you could quite easily say Chef Tillie experienced the farm to table lifestyle way before it was ever a trend--it is just part of her genetic makeup!
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As a loving wife and mother of two, Chef Tillie is dedicated to her family's nutrition which of course includes her sweet furry dog babies! She leads by example and encourages those around her to be mindful of what they consume. After all, God only gives you this one body to nurture as well as the most nutrient-rich foods found right in the garden or a farmer's market. Going outside of the mundane box and seeking out unique ingredients and dishes from other cultures that might not be the norm for most, but her ability to integrate both common and rare ingredients captivates those whom she proudly serves.
Today Chef Tillie continually reaches for her Pacific Northwest roots fusing it all together with her French culinary background and the fresh, brilliant flavors indicative to whatever area she visits. She creates gorgeous, elegant, colorful dishes and menus filled with culinary delights and palate pleasing bites for her highly sought after dinner parties and clients.
She never imagined her career as a chef could launch her to the heights it has taken her. As a private chef to many legendary celebrities, she has had the rare opportunity to travel to spectacular destinations to cook for amazing people. One of her favorite perks about her culinary journey is being able to travel and meet different people while experiencing their unique and fascinating cultures. She was honored to be one of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Ambassadors until he did away with the program in 2018--but the food fight continues! She is excited to be launching her own nonprofit in 2024 with the sole purpose of teaching kids of all ages about the importance of real food and nutrition!! The importance of community and giving back is something her parents instilled in her, so supporting and partnering with several charities, small businesses, artisans, and farms, is near and dear to her heart and soul.
Chef Tillie loves what she does, she is passionate about food, and she has the insatiable appetite to inspire others while doing it all!
