Meet Kasey, OneTable’s Associate Director of Hubs. This Chicago resident works directly with all of OneTable’s dynamic Hub Managers and is stoked about joining the team. With a background in food and hospitality, Kasey fits right in!

How did you end up at OneTable?

Facebook! I believe it was bashert, meant to be. I saw the listing online and it encapsulated everything I was looking for in a job: connection with people, travel, spiritual development and doing something meaningful for the community. I feel so lucky to call OneTable my new family.

What’s your story?

I have two obsessions in life: people and food. I explored my love for people in undergrad at the University of Michigan through majoring in Psychology. A few years later, my culinary passion led me to study Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Chicago, followed by a move across the county to San Francisco to cook at a seasonal farm-to-table restaurant. What started as a short internship turned into a two and a half year stay in the Bay working as a chef. My deep connection to family brought me back to Chicago, where I started my own business focused on culinary education, festive meals, and community. To feed my culinary inspiration and passion for travel, I took some breaks from my career to see the world, rejuvenate my soul, and experience new cultures.

If you could eat one dish for the rest of your life, what would it be?

The Tea Leaf Salad from Burma Superstar in San Francisco- I would be the happiest person in the world.

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you spend your time doing?

I would buy homes in my favorite places around the world: Arezzo, Thailand, San Francisco and Barcelona. In each country, I would take regional culinary classes to learn about the authentic food and of course, drink lots of wine. I’d frequent yoga and meditation retreats in exotic parts of the world, such as India and Bali. A girl can dream, right?

What’s your favorite Friday night memory?

The Friday night dinner in Tel Aviv before my best friends wedding. We gathered in an intimate private room with one long, wood table and a spectacularly gorgeous chandelier. We ate mediterranean dips, grilled lamb, falafel, fresh seasonal produce, pita, local cheeses and the wine was flowing like a river. Celebrating the union of two beloved people in Israel, I felt deeply connected to myself, to my Jewish identity and to the vibrancy of life.

Favorite recipe?

I am pretty obsessed with a “Syrian Braised Dolma” recipe I created several years ago when I was running a restaurant in San Francisco, inspired by a recipe I read in the Jewish cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo. To make: Stuff grape leaves with ground beef, onion, ginger, garlic, turkish apricots and a combination of spices (cinnamon, aleppo and allspice). Then roll the filling into grape leaves and brush with tamarind paste, crushed tomatoes and red wine. Slowly braise them in the oven. The end result is the most tender and delicious dolma I have ever tasted!

Want to connect with Kasey and learn more? Send her a welcome email at Kasey@onetable.org.