caroline ford

I currently live on the water, cooking on privately owned yachts for guests and fellow crew members. the adventure and travel keep my restless nature in check, while the intimate environment of the boat allows me to create unique experiences through food. how in the heck I ended up here....

raised in a small town in central Oklahoma on southern classics, BBQ (lots of it), church casseroles, sunday roasts, chicken fried steak, fried onion burgers, perfect pies and layered cakes, cheesy grits, Indian tacos, State Fair smorgasbords, and yearly trips to Florida to devour seafood and hushpuppies. by a creative mother in the kitchen who orchestrated the dining portion of all friend and family gatherings, opened my palate to the new and unfamiliar, and always had enough food in the refrigerators to feed the army of children scurrying in and out of her house

educated in journalism and theatre in a liberal college town in central Missouri where I discovered the importance of all-night diners, the glory of frozen custard and toasted ravioli, just how bad cafeteria food can be, the best lamb korma I've ever had to date, how to sling espresso, my favorite pies from a tiny gem of a restaurant in an even tinier town on the Katy Trail, spanakopita, true generosity shown by villagers creating meals in Africa and Thailand, Kansas City BBQ, my insatiable curiosity for food I'd yet to taste, and the realization that without my mom at the stove, I actually loved to cook for myself

trained in culinary school in Portland, Oregon where I fell hard for food trucks, farmers' markets, seasonal treasures I'd only ever read about, mussels, oysters, what produce and meat actually taste like when they aren't shipped across the country, locally produced....well, everything. so much wine, beer, spirits, coffee, chocolate, bread, pastry, charcuterie, and cheese that i pack an extra suitcase on visits

crossed the country to work in the test kitchen for Cooking Light magazine in Birmingham, AL and ate my weight in smoked chicken with white BBQ sauce, Wickles Pickles, collard greens, fluffy biscuits, and Bloody Mary brunches

crossed back to Portland to taste more of the Pacific NW. went to work for chefs, cookbook authors, websites, food writers, photographers, and editors

crossed the country again to cook on beautiful boats so I could provision in foreign markets, experiment with foods I don't recognize that have labels I can't read, wash dishes while watching dolphins and waves out of the galley window, spend my days off on tropical beaches or in bustling cities, and eat fresh fish, local specialties, and more fresh fish

eating my way across the US along the way, from every diner and greasy burger dive to local farmer's markets to restaurants with chefs at the top of their game. on a mission to check off all 50. 40 and counting...