My culinary background is not like most.  I did not get my early exposure to food and cooking from the apron strings of my mother, grandmother or aunties.  Rather, I got my exposure from eating at restaurants.  Afghan food from Khyber Pass, Ethiopian from the Blue Nile, Chinese from Joy Luck, Mexican from La Estrellita, Cajun/Creole from the Gingerbread House, and I can't leave out BBQ from Flint's.  Shout out to Oakland restaurants.  I cultivated my love of food and cooking from those experiences and cooking shows on PBS.  I worked for a few restaurants and the family catering business and subsequently went to culinary school.  I received a culinary degree from the New School of Cooking in southern California.