ABOUT
Hospitality has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
I was born and raised in Abkhazia, on the Black Sea, where being a good host meant making people feel genuinely welcome and cared for. You shared the best of what you had, whether someone had been invited for dinner or simply stopped by.
I grew up around tables filled with family, friends, neighbors, and often several generations at once. Food was fresh and seasonal, conversations were long, and there was plenty of laughter, music, dancing, and singing. Toasts were an important part of gathering too—not simply raising a glass, but taking a moment to wish one another good health, share a few words of wisdom, or recognize the people around the table.
You made room. You shared what you had. And you made people feel that they belonged.
I spent some time living and studying in Moscow, later moved to New Zealand, and eventually made my way to California, which is now home. Living across very different cultures has given me an appreciation for the many ways people eat, live, care for themselves, and connect with one another. But the importance of welcoming people and bringing them together is something I’ve carried with me wherever I’ve lived.
What my work has taught me
I’ve been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for more than 15 years, including many years in clinical nutrition at UCSF Health. I’ve worked with people from an incredibly wide range of backgrounds and health circumstances, taught nutrition and wellness programs, and mentored future dietitians.
That work showed me firsthand how important nutrition can be to health and recovery. It also taught me to listen. No two people come with the same health history, culture, family life, preferences, responsibilities, or goals. That perspective continues to shape the way I work privately today: understanding the person first, and creating nutrition guidance that is practical, individualized, and realistic for their life.
BEYOND THE PLATE
Over the years, my work has also come to reflect something I understood long before I became a dietitian: living well is about more than taking care of ourselves individually.
We are naturally social, and connection matters. Being around other people, sharing experiences, learning something new, laughing, talking, eating together, and feeling that we belong all contribute to how we experience our lives.
That’s why bringing people together feels like a natural extension of my work. I create thoughtful gatherings and collaborations around nutrition, wellness, food, healthy living, and other subjects that spark curiosity. Each experience may be different, but the intention is the same: to create a reason to come together, discover something interesting, and connect with one another.
In many ways, it brings me back to where I started: making room at the table.
