Food has been the great passion of my life. As a little girl growing up in Chicago, I spent hours watching my mother cook in the little kitchen of our home on Ash Street, preparing dishes like pot roast with oven roasted vegetables or stewed chicken and dumplings. My favorite times, though, were when she was away, because that's when I took over the cooking for my father and older sister. My specialty was filet mignon with a side of scalloped potatoes. (I was a bit of a prodigy- HA!)

I got my first restaurant job at 12, working for a Chinese carry-out called House of Chan. This sparked a life-long love of Asian cuisine that led me to study under an authentic Chinese restaurateur in my twenties. Naturally, many of my favorite dishes today have an Asian flare.

It has been 45 years since I served my first home-cooked meal to my father and sister, and today nothing in the world – save my two sons and loyal dog Nelson – gives me as much joy as cooking for people. Were it not for my love of family, I would open a restaurant. (Cardais' has a nice ring to it, don't you think?)

Instead, I've started this business offering "dine in", gourmet food and personal chef service to the Lake Tillery ,Troy, Albemarle, Badin and surrounding area.  Let me give you all the pleasure of great food without all the work – the shopping, the cooking, and, ugh, the cleaning.

I can't wait to begin sharing my love of food with you!

~ Wendy