Food and lifestyle are as inseparable as salt and pepper. Kazia learned this early on, when her family spent its summers traveling—and eating—its way through countries like Morocco, Poland, and India. And professionally, she reaffirmed it.
After graduating from Bowdoin College, Kazia moved to northern Spain to attend El Txoko del Gourmet, a cooking school in the famed culinary city of San Sebastian. During her months of baking and line cooking, Kazia learned about the French influence (a.k.a. butter) on northern Spain’s pastries and the reinvention of classic Basque cooking. Eventually, Kazia made her way back to the United States—and a job that reflected the U.S. love of fast-paced food. Kazia tested recipes for Cook’s Illustrated’s Best 30-Minute Recipe cookbook—and then, she took a break from the burners and started writing.
Kazia only returned to the kitchen after she completed the guidebook, Moon Peru. While the book went to press, Kazia co-founded Pica Peru Culinary Vacations, a tour company that reveals Peru’s culture through cooking classes, as well as market and restaurant visits.
In her current position, though, Kazia’s cultural radar is focused on more familiar territory. As a culinary innovation specialist at Sterling-Rice Group, she watches society and food trends in the U.S.—and she uses this information to help food companies develop both new products and brand identities. These projects challenge Kazia to constantly create new culinary experiences and push her knowledge of food.
