I've spent more than 15 years letting the season decide the menu, cooking food that is generous, honest, and grounded in where it comes from.

My path started in Philadelphia, working on farms and teaching cooking to young people through Trellis for Tomorrow and The Food Trust. In New York, I was head chef at Smile To Go on Howard Street in SoHo, and these days you can also find me volunteering with Free Food at Refettorio Harlem, Massimo Bottura's free restaurant.

Based in Brooklyn, I cater private dinners and events around the city, in the Hamptons, and in Aspen. Six guests or 120, I cook like I'm feeding people I care about, because I am.

Contact: rachelfnichols@gmail.com