Meryl Made

About Meryl

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My joy is in helping you achieve more: more time, better food, better health, better life

I am an in-home personal chef providing full-service meal-planning, shopping, cooking, and meal prep services.  My 9 years of experience cooking for families have been accentuated by complimentary experiences in the food and beverage businesses. 

I've loved to cook since I could walk.  My parent's extensive home gardens taught me the value of fresh, local food- one of my earliest memories was making "jam" in our greenhouse using solar power, sugar, and our blueberries!  (If you would like me to make jam for you these days, I employ more traditional methods.)

After receiving my degrees in Hospitality Management and English at the University of New Hampshire, I worked on Long Island as a winery cellarhand intern for several harvest seasons.  I'm a huge fan of local wines!

I've always tried to make food part of my work- both as a grocery buyer and prep cook for Whole Foods, and as a wine and cheese monger.  But one of my most formative jobs was working as both a specialty shopper and Senior Kitchen Assistant for America's Test Kitchen, providing support for the creation of magazines, books, and the America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country TV shows.   I take with me from that incredible experience a respect for and knowledge of food science, technique, and the importance of both precision and organization.  And a very full cookbook library!  

Over the past two years I've worn many hats at both the  Jack's Abby Beer Hall Restaurant and the brewery's sister brand and taproom, Springdale Barrel Room, in Framingham.  As On-Site Events Coordinator and Front-of House manager, I have loved working with local food vendors to create fun "pop-up" style events  in the taproom, as well as making sure everyone has an amazing service experience!  Nowadays, when I am not making delicious food for families you might find me doing a beer tasting for Jack's Abby out and about in your local liquor store.  

My hobbies include gardening, yoga, cooking (surprise!), shopping for antique cookware at local thrift stores, and hanging out at breweries with my friends and family.