Jan is Chef-owner of the Guelph-based Orchard House Gourmet Personal Chef Service. The company was named for the old pear tree in the backyard of her home, the last remaining tree of the pear orchard belonging to the original farm house.

A passion for cooking led her to culinary college where the experience of cooking with a real chef in a professional kitchen took the place of watching television cooking shows!

An advocate for healthy eating, Jan is one of a growing network of chefs who advocate using local seasonal produce to support their community and reduce the environmental footprint.  She is participating in the the Canadian Personal Chef Association's 100 Mile Meal Event during Fall 2007.  While all menus are made with the freshest ingredients possible at all times Orchard House Gourmet is proud to participate in the CPCA event and to continue this initiative whenever possible throughout the year.

Now she spends her time creating new recipes, traveling with her husband (and finding cooking classes almost everywhere she goes) and looking for interesting ways to provide her clients with an exceptional culinary experience. In Fall 2007 I am pleased to join the roster of guest chef instructors at the Guelph culinary store Thyme To Cook.

She can often be found browsing book stores, looking for additions to her extensive collection of cookbooks.

Jan has her Personal Chef Diploma from Liaison College and the Culinary Business Academy .