I am a native New Yorker and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. Beginning in the professional food world by managing restaurants in NY and LA, I moved on to work as a freelance recipe writer, tester and developer for Martha Stewart and The TV Food Network. After several years in the TV world, I chose a different path and worked as head chef for God’s Love We Deliver, the country’s premier AIDS meal provider, preparing over 2200 hot meals a day to homebound people living with AIDS. After leaving God’s Love, I ran 52 Irving Espresso & Tea Bar (now 71 Irving), the popular Gramercy Park cafe. I moved to Brooklyn to open my own café, Naidre’s eat drink smile (with locations in Park Slope ...