Our Team

A good baguette with good butter.

My son. He is (almost) always a very happy camper in the morning and I love to kiss his sunny face.

Find a quiet beach and read, swim, snack, sleep and repeat.

I’m genuinely inspired by the women we serve. As much as they think we give them through the program, they give us more in return.

Satisfaction and happiness.

A good breakfast. It’s my favorite meal of the day.

My favorite food memory is sitting around the kitchen table making momos with my family. The flavors in our Tibetan household have these amazing influences because my mom grew up in Bhutan and dad grew up in Nepal. Making momos was always a time for my family to have bonding time.

My own immigrant family’s journey to the US and my parents’ drive to seek opportunities for me and my brother motivate me to work at Hot Bread Kitchen. I see that same drive and passion in the women that we serve, and it motivates me even more.

A quote from the Dalai Lama that my mother shared with me as a child has always guided me: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

Every Sunday my mom would make a huge stock for the week, so I would wake up smelling stock, rice and incense. That has forever stuck in my mind.

The mission has always stuck a cord with me as these members are a direct reflection of my family and myself.

My mother is my inspiration for this position. To be able to give our members something I wish she had as a resource means more to me than any job could give.

I find inspiration in a lot of people, but primarily my mom. She has faced adversities and struggles that I cannot even imagine. But at the end of the day she finds a way to make a joke, see the lighter side in things, and love her family ferociously.

Visit the most famous and extravagant restaurants in the world, and just look and the menu and say “YES PLEASE!”

Being stable and clear headed in a tricky situation—that person that others look to when they ask “OK, so what do we do now?”

Michelle Obama. Not only is she an empowered woman herself, but she’s dedicated her life to try to help empower other women and children even when the odds might be stacked against them.

To me success means to be happy and fulfilled by the work you do, the friends you have, and the life you choose to cultivate.

“The Good Parts” by Andy Grammar because I think everyone’s story is important in understanding who they are. I’m driven by connecting with people and knowing them through the good and the bad.

Probably buttered toast.

A sentence shouldn’t be longer than two lines on a page! (Seriously, it’s good general writing advice.)

Eat my way across the globe, of course.

Everything about the Passover meal at my grandparents’ when I was younger—especially my grandmother’s matzo ball soup and brisket.

I’m always learning and re-learning that leaning into discomfort and fear (basically doing the harder thing, whatever that means for you) is, infuriatingly, one of the best ways to grow.

I would visit and hike around as many national parks as possible, ideally biking part of the way with my dad.

My favorite food memory is when dad taught me how to make puff pastry and my batch rose was twice as big as his! That joy inspired me to go into baking. I have been sharing that joy ever since.

The company’s mission of empowering women through food is what brought me to Hot Bread Kitchen.

I would sail around the Mediterranean on a yacht with my husband and close friends, stopping to enjoy amazing food from the different cultures we visited.

All my favorite food memories are linked to visiting family Iran and being welcomed into any home we entered with an opulent food spread. There was always a glass coffee table covered in fresh fruit, vegetables, pistachios and different sweets. And all meals were served at a long dining table plated wth mountains of rice decorated with saffron and served with a khoresht (stew).

A tie between joojeh kabob and potato tahdig. I recently learned how to make them, but unfortunately nothing compares to the way my Aunts prepare them.

That Hot Bread Kitchen is committed to building inclusive pathways of economic mobility for women while creating a more equitable NYC!

The power of human-centered design—designing with the user involved in the process.

Artists like Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Hilma Af Klint who lived full creative lives, challenging the status quo for women artists in their time.

Exploring the world through food—both solo, and with loved ones! I’d wander through markets, cook, daydream, share meals, and take tons of photos along the way.

Some of my favorite memories surrounding food have been made cooking with my family, especially with my grandmother. There are no written recipes, it’s just learning from her—how she moves about the kitchen, tastes food, and uses various utensils for measuring.

A big plate of my gallo pinto (rice and beans) with fried queso fresco, maduros, a side of fresh fruit and a tall glass of pineapple juice. That meal could keep me fueled and full for hours!

On the weekends, the prospect of making a hearty breakfast gets me out of bed. During the week, I like to get my days started early with a brisk walk with my new dog.

Eating my grandmother’s keshkeg (a wheat porridge) that she would make for me every time she visited. It showed me how love can be translated through food.

Having the opportunity to support and champion women who are entering the food industry is so inspiring and exciting to me.

Rent a villa in Italy for my friends and family and visit a local market daily to cook elaborate meals for everyone.

My favorite food memory is eating fresh salad with vegetables picked from my family’s garden in rural Romania.

I would love to travel with my family to Europe, spend quality time with our relatives, and visit new places. I would love my daughter to see where her parents grew up.

My superpower is my patience and organizational skills. Being patient and organized helped in both my career and in personal life.