Meredith Kay

I've been called a "food snob" and "restless", but I prefer to consider myself "discriminating" and "adventurous". I have had a case of wanderlust since I was a kid. My dad would drive the family up the California coast, and as a teenager, I had the opportunity to play soccer in Great Britain. My eyes were opened to new cultures as we drove through rolling green pastures in Wales, made new friends with strange accents in Scotland and explored ancient castles in England. I explored Europe while studying in Heidelberg, Germany. I witnessed the Grand Prix of Monaco from a yacht in the harbor. I drank too much wine in Pamplona, during the Running of the Bulls, and awoke in a park to see elephants strolling past. I have somberly traced the footsteps of those imprisoned in Dachau, just south of Munich, Germany, as I tried, unsuccessfully, to imagine the fear and despair that those brave souls must have endure. I feel blessed that I have been able to venture out and travel.d.

As for my love of food, it began at a young age. I had many international friends at Pepperdine University, and I began to taste the flavors of the world. I learned how to make a perfect Tortilla Española, and my Italian friends showed me unlimited ways to eat pasta. I learned to love German food at Einbecker Inn, where I waited tables for 8 years. I still crave Magda's German Kartoffelsalat. As a kid, Yuko, introduced me to Japanese cuisine. Sushi was so foreign, but I tried it all, falling in love with teriyaki and udon.

Born in Inglewood, California and raised in Fountain Valley, I am a Southern California girl at my core, but I have called San Antonio, Texas home now for over 20 years, and I am a Texan in my heart. I always tell people that I am "half Texan". My mom comes from a tiny little town called Quanah, up in the panhandle. My dad, on the other hand, is a California boy through and through, and even ran around with Brian Wilson, of the Beach Boys, at Hawthorne High School.

I believe that travel inspires us and keeps us humble. To realize how very blessed we are to live in The United States allows us to feel compassion for the plight of those less fortunate, in other parts of the world. We often only hear of what is wrong in this world, but if you look closely and immerse yourself in another's culture, you'll discover who God intended us to be, connected by the most basic human characteristics despite our differences and geographic locations.