Stephanie Beack - President, Founder, Instructor

I've been cooking since the age of 10 when my mother promptly decided that I'd have to learn from her good line of farm women and start feeding the family. She informed me three weeks in advance of my 11th birthday that on that date, I'd make a full meal for our family of four, with at least three courses and that she'd answer my questions and help me talk through things but I'd have to prepare, cook and serve the meals alone. I hated it at first, then found an enjoyment and avenue for creativity and exploration that I'd never anticipated. I cannot thank her enough for setting me on the path of something I thought of as a chore, which turned into an interest and then a hobby and is now a passionate endeavor that contributes greatly to my experience of life.

While living in New York from 2001 to 2007, I indulged my passion for cooking and enrolled at the Institute for Culinary Education’s Recreational Division.  I took specialized courses including Italian, Spanish and Techniques of Fish and Shellfish.  I cook a lot of Mediterranean-influenced foods, but really have no limits in terms of what I can cook or teach others to cook.  I’ve been creating recipes (and never keeping track of them) my whole life.  In 2006 I launched my Scrumptious Street blog “A Place At My Table”, and finally began writing down my recipes!  I’ve been an avid blogger and food community member ever since and was nominated in 2006 for the Well Fed Network’s, Food Blog Awards “Best Original Recipe” Category.  I also did recipe testing from 2005-2007 for the James Beard Foundation Award Best Food Website, Leite’s Culinaria.  In addition to Scrumptious Street,  I was a contract chef at Parties That Cook, San Francisco's leading cooking party and interactive culinary event provider, in 2008 and early 2009.

Scrumptious Street is a way to offer you a place at my table and share what I’ve learned throughout the years. It's an invitation to share my food knowledge, cooking techniques, recipes, tips and insight into cooking expressively and creatively . All writings, recipes and photos are the sole copyright of Stephanie Beack, unless otherwise attributed. If you're interested in using any of my photos, please email me directly.