A letter from the chef: 

 

I have always been fascinated with creating new recipes in the kitchen. My mom still has a handwritten recipe card from my 12-year-old self of cinnamon tortilla chips and fruit salsa. I was always experimenting and trying new things. The kitchen is somewhere I can confidently say I have had many failures with the scorched pans to prove it. Even in my collage art school dorm I was known to have sushi making parties.  Making something out of nothing was at times a necessity but also an exciting creative challenge. 

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Soon after my time at art school I found yoga. Like, really found it. I was on a pursuit to heal my body and get back to my true self. I woke up early every morning to arrive in a dark, quiet room hidden in the back of a hip tattoo shop learning the practice of ashtanga yoga. This new habit tested my body, mind and nervous system. I instantly realized how I treated my body and what I put into it affected my yoga practice. So, after some time out of the health food scene I was back in my tiny kitchen prepping meals, blending smoothies and doing research on the latest supplements and superfoods. On the weekends I would be out hiking, biking, climbing or dancing with friends. I was defiantly hungry, not just physically, but I was hungry for adventure, spiritual insight, expression, and self discovery.​

 

Cooking for others became a love language. A primal feminine expression of care. I saw the hard internal work others were doing and I could relate. I've been there. Handing someone a bowl of soup or small plate of cute snacks  goes beyond the need to fill a belly. Many of us have struggled with our relationship around food, and retreats and healing spaces are all opportunities to reconnect with this essential need. Many retreat goers have shared with me how impactful the simple things were to them. This proves that the exchange of food is more than just the ingredients that go into it. The love, care, and intention is felt. 

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With Gratitude, 

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Ellie Ray

Founder and Operator