Growing up with food allergies meant that I missed out on a lot of the foods that my family loved, and that I struggled to eat local food when traveling. When I developed a a gluten allergy in my late teenage years, I learned how to cook just to survive life in college as the campus dining halls struggled to accommodate my restrictions. With time, my love for cooking grew, but I still missed the foods I was raised on that I could no longer have. During the Pandemic, I really started craving Pierogies -After several days of research and experimentation, I figured out how to make a gluten free dough that would could be rolled out thin and withstand the boiling. This started my journey of adapting the dishes I missed from my youth or had never gotten to try so that I could finally taste the world without limits.

I want to share what I’ve learned with you and your family so that you too can enjoy the wonderful dishes the world has to offer without being hindered by dietary restrictions.

Growing up in Northern New Jersey to parents of Central European and Irish ancestry, I was exposed to a wide array of cultural cuisines, from the Pierogies served in the cafe downtown, to the Italian-American delicacies served in local trattorias, to the Greek street food served in the local diners, to the upscale Portuguese and Spanish taverns, to the South and East Asian restaurants in the towns along the Jersey Turnpike. Having all this culinary diversity in my backyard gave me an appreciation from an early age of trying new foods and experiencing culture through flavor. In reclaiming the flavors of my youth and my heritage, my cooking style draws most inspiration from the cuisines of Italy, Greece, Hungary, Spain, Mexico, and Poland, as well as classic American favorites, but I am always looking for new dishes from around the world to try.

Lastly, where did the name “The Paprika Drawer” come from? Over the years, I’ve grown a huge spice collection, but my favorite by far is Paprika, and I had accumulated several types of paprikas and chili powders that I use regularly. Before long, my spice cabinet was overwhelmed by the paprika collection, and I ended up moving all of them to a dedicated drawer, right next to my stove where I can easily grab them. I open that drawer every single day, and it has become my favorite feature of my kitchen. Thus, The Paprika Drawer was born.