Chef Anna, private chef

//Mackerel and fermented millet grits with all the blisered veg//

Purples and reds and pinks. When the wild things are just right and there's fresh octopus, things happen. A very light dish with more sweet notes than savory. With the tender sweetness of the octopus, it worked very well.

Poached and seared octopus with hibiscus cherry gastrique. Peppercorn- vanilla-onion custard-stuffed Scarlet Rose Mallow (Red Texas Hibiscus). Salad of fig, horseradish, mustard greens, radish sorrel, pecan pâté.

Layers of candied glass. Except it's savory. But also sweet. Few ingredients but with intricate complexities--a perfect little cube of summer ☀️
Carrots with hints of grapefruit, fermented papia, cured coconut, margoram, citrus honey, hazelnut, coffee

Goodbye 2024, goodbye Missouri!🎉✨️ Hello 2025, Florida here we come!

Yes, We're leaving the midwest and heading to the coast! And yet, with all the exciting new adventures and opportunities for growth, the Ozarks will always have a special place in my heart. It's where my love for food and the outdoors was born and took root together. Where culinary competitions started and brought me across the US, and formal dinner parties gave me the confidence to stage at 3-Michelin restaurants, traveling the world and collecting ideas. And when I returned home, all the wonderful people who supported and cheered me on, letting me turn all I'd gathered into edible artwork. I'd never had guessed almost 30yrs ago when my family moved to a farm in mid-west Missouri, it could lead this.

So here's to a new year with new beginnings. The wheels are spinning already, but I'm just looking forward to spending it with Wesley Saunders and seeing what God does this year, because one thing's for certain-- no amount of planning can ever change what's already written.

Autumn with all it's scrumptious, warming dishes is here! If you want new recipes to use around the table this Thanksgiving season and beyond, signup to get this month's newsletter:
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30 minute or less dinner ideas-- this one right here. Try this type of fish taco next time!

Beauty and simplicity do go together. Think fresh.
Kohlrabi. Haddock. Shiso. Cucumber. Avocado. Peaches. Tomatoes. To name a few.

Did someone say grilling burgers for the 4th?! Yes please!! 🍔🍔

Some of my favorite burger toppings:
Black garlic BBQ
Sweet Chili Sauce
Dijon Caramelized Onions
Stilton Bleu
Good ol' tomato and lettuce
Burnt ends or crispy prosciutto
Fried egg

Name some of yours!

Yes please. I finally found my favorite food.

Well,at least if I ever have to answer the question I've always hated, "What's your favorite food to cook or eat?"... everything.

But over the years, eggs have never disappointed, and the endless ways to prepare, create, and explore with these little ovals, has brought them fonder and fonder to me. But mind you, not every egg.

Farm fresh, local eggs. The sourcing really matters. The taste couldn't be more different. I hear someone say they don't like eggs. But, have you *really* tried them? GOOD eggs, prepared in a way that let's this silky, delicate protien shine? Please let me know if not, and I'll change that.

Happy National Egg Day (yesterday). But really, every day is egg day here. 🍳🥚🍳🥚

Summer is less than a month away, and one of my favorite ingredients is grilled cucumber. Paired with fresh strawberries, cultured coconut cream, burnt honey vinegrette, fresh mint and shiso... it's really the epitome of summer. 🥒🍓

Mulberry season is almost over. If you're going to pick some, do so soon! They're one of the sweetest berries that grow wild in the Ozarks, and are extremely easy to pick if you use rake and tarp to catch them.

Delicate, versatile in sauces for wild game, beef, or pork, great on appetizers or dessert. The freeze very well too.. Oh yes, and making cordial to sip on too!