Hometown:
Napa, California. I'm actually fourth generation; Great-Grandpa Clyde was head of the railroad here in the valley. He was six and a half feet tall, wore a tiny bowler hat and had a bad temper...if you upset him, he'd throw you off the train while it was moving!

What is your favorite holiday to cook for?
My birthday! Don't get me wrong, I don't consider my birthday an actual holiday, but we always have a big, sit-down dinner for my closest friends and it's my chance to really have a great time and cook for my favorite people.

What kitchen utensil you can't live without?
My scaled-down chef's knife. I have really small hands and my husband noticed it was difficult for me to use the big chef's knife in our knife block, so he found a smaller version just for me!

What is your favorite meal of the day?
Definitely dinner! We always sit down to dinner as a family in my house and it's the perfect chance to catch up with one another and have a home-cooked meal.

Who is your favorite celebrity chef?
Alton Brown. I can honestly say he changed my life. Once I read I'm Just Here for the Food, I really understood the chemistry of cooking and that it's not just about following recipes.

What ingredient do you use the most?
Garlic! I go through at least two to three heads of garlic per week and love it raw, roasted, crushed or whole!

What is your favorite cook-book?
The one cook-book I always have nearby is The Joy of Cooking. It's really the perfect reference for classic recipes and timeless techniques.

What are you looking forward to the most at the finals?
Of course, I'm excited to meet Jacques Pepin as he's one of the true masters, but I'm also eager to really challenge myself. The combination of spectators and a strange kitchen will definitely be a test of my skills!

What would winning mean to you?
Winning would mean so much to me; if I won, I would finally prove to myself that I'm a good cook. All of your party guests can tell you that your appetizers are delicious, and your husband can smile while eating dinner but you never really know until something like this. And, the GE kitchen appliances would not only improve my kitchen, but because my home is so small it would feel like a new house! (Especially the dishwasher...that’s my husband's other name!)