Thank You For Being Here!
Welcome to my website, I'm so excited that you're here! In case this is our first time meeting, here's a little about me.
In my 20s, I was signed with Muse Models and chasing my dream of making it as a model in New York City. I spent my days running to castings, doing test shoots, and commuting over an hour from New Jersey five days a week. I can still picture myself changing from flats to heels on the sidewalk before walking into castings.
As I entered my mid 20s, I began to feel the pressure of being in an industry where youth is often seen as the only currency. My passion for a dream I had once been obsessed with started to fade, and at 27, I made the decision to step away from modeling. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to pursue next and felt directionless. So, I began working in hospitality, hoping it would give me the space to reconnect with myself and figure out the next step in my life.
That same year, my love for animals sparked a major shift and I became vegetarian. That decision deeply shaped my life and career, leading me to where I am today, a plant-based chef and recipe developer.
When I was a model, I thought that being healthy meant eating salads all day. But in hindsight, I realize how misinformed I was about true health and wellness. During that time, I developed unhealthy eating habits and struggled with body dysmorphia. Eventually, I no longer wanted to live this version of life. I knew I needed to reclaim my health. I wanted to truly understand how to care for my body and mind, so I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and for the first time in a long time, I felt genuinely excited about the future.
I was fascinated by what I was learning about holistic health, especially since wellness education was completely new to me. I even considered pursuing a Naturopathic degree, but financial limitations made that impossible. After earning my AADP Board Certified Holistic Health Coach certification, my curiosity deepened around the connection between food and medicine. I realized that food is not just fuel, but a powerful tool for healing, health, and lifelong vitality, which led me to enroll at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Enrolling in culinary school was a wild ride. Growing up, cooking wasn’t a big part of our family culture. We cooked everyday because we had too, but it wasn’t something we centered our lives around. My mom was a single parent working double shifts, so I often cooked for myself. Most days, I made the same simple meals. But even then, I noticed something; I genuinely enjoyed it. Cooking felt grounding, almost meditative. And somehow, things just tasted right, guided by nothing more than my cook’s intuition.
Going to culinary school was a pivotal chapter in my life. I never went to college, so in many ways, it provided the structure, growth, and sense of belonging I had always imagined higher education would offer. Except this time, it was centered around something I truly loved and saw longevity in.
I learned things I’d never even heard of like knife skills, foundational cooking techniques, the importance of seasonality, mother sauces, Ayurveda, plating, how to make pasta from scratch, and so much more. It was a whirlwind of discovery, and I felt both empowered and exhilarated. It’s difficult to put into a words how deeply this experience changed me and gave me a sense of purpose.
As part of my graduation requirements, I needed to complete 200 hours in a professional kitchen. I chose to complete my externship at Jean-Georges’ abcV, a seasonal, plant-forward restaurant in New York City known for its thoughtful approach to vegetables and exceptionally high-quality ingredient. I ultimately stayed on and cooked there for two years. It was during that time that I discovered my own style of cooking and plating, one that celebrates the natural beauty of vegetables.
I always knew that restaurant life wasn’t my long-term path, but I was eager to learn as much as I could. While working full-time at abcV, I started my blog, Victoria’s Earth Kitchen as a way to share what I was learning and begin building a voice of my own. In 2024, I landed my first private chef client, which gave me the nudge I needed to leave abcV and focus on something I had been dreaming about for a while, building a community online.
My goal is to help people live healthier lives through simple, plant-based cooking. I truly believe food is one of the most powerful ways we take care of ourselves. I love showing others how cooking with plants can help them feel better in their bodies, clearer in their minds, and more balanced in their everyday lives so they feel confident in the kitchen and supported from the inside out!
