Founder and Owner
Rita
Hello, my name is Rita and I am the owner and the manager of My Home Chef ® cooking school.
I am in charge of the business (AKA THE BOSS).
I am operating all of the School aspects: Teaching, purchasing, HR and admin.
Oh yes! I am a very busy lady wearing lots of hats (beside my chef's one ) :).
I defiantly love love my Job and I invest my heart and soul into the school.
General Manager
Head Cookery Teacher
Amanda Pichon
Cookery Teacher
Management
Gabriela Rangel
Hola, Hi, I’m Gabriela, and I’m absolutely thrilled to join the
My Home Chef team!.
My journey is a vibrant mix of my love for science, culinary arts, and a deep appreciation for diverse cultures.
This unique combination fuels my excitement to dive into our students' culinary adventures. I’m originally from Venezuela, where I grew up surrounded by a rich culinary tradition. From indigenous flavors to Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian influences, my background has sparked a lifelong passion for exploring global flavors and cooking traditions. With a background in biology, I've developed strong analytical skills and a keen eye for detail, which come in handy in the kitchen.
My specialisation in pastry and baking has let me bring an artistic touch to crafting delicious and visually appealing dishes. Plus, as a certified coach, I've honed my skills in guiding and supporting others. This is crucial in creating a nurturing and effective learning environment, especially for our cooking classes where empathy, patience, and personalised instruction are key.
As a mom of a wonderful daughter -and married to a nature-loving outdoor enthusiast, my family life adds a rich layer to my perspective. Our shared experiences and daily life inspire me to make teaching and creating culinary experiences both meaningful and engaging for our students.
I’m really looking forward to bringing my diverse background, cultural insights, and dedication to inclusive education to My Home Chef. Excited to help our students reach their full potential in the kitchen and beyond!
Hi my name is Amanda I am originally from Invercargill.
I currently live in Rolleston with my daughter Emily and my husband Fraser.
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I have worked as a chef since I was 16, and have completed a Bachelor of Culinary arts at Otago Polytechnic. In my spare time I love dancing, traveling and spending time with my family.
My food values are deeply rooted in my family values. These are that all parts of a family are important, respect for others and ingredients is indicative of how successful the relationship or dish is, and to cook & care from your heart.
The ability to be myself within my family is when I am truly happy and I cook food to care and nurture for them.
This feeling of safety and comfort I hold dearest and endeavor to portray this in my everyday and professional life. Growing up in a family of incredibly strong matriarchal figures on all sides, I was taught fierce loyalty, independent thinking and a strong sense of tradition. Building a home where everyone was welcomed with vast pots of tea and tins packed full of baking is important to
my family and that feeling of hospitality and welcome is entrenched in my psyche.
Cookery Teacher
Jonina Kerr
Hello I'm Jonina ,I was born in Christchurch and I’m Kiwi /Thai I moved to Rolleston at the start of 2024 and I love it here .
I’m a mum to a beautiful 13 year old son ,who has ADHD and ASD.
I’ve been in the hospitality industry for 10 years working my way up from dish hand at 16 years old while studying cookery certificates at 'Ara Institute Of Canterbury' .
My love for food began at a very early age experimenting in the kitchen with sauces while my mum was asleep and presenting her with my creation on uncooked pasta ,I realise at this moment in time that I wanted to be a chef ,to create dishes ,to learn new skills ,new cultures and to explore my Thai Heritage background .
I love the feeling when I can put so much of my passion into a meal and see the faces of my family and friends enjoying my cooking ,it warms my heart that I can bring so much joy and love to them with my food .
In my spare time when I’m not experimenting in the kitchen ,I love travelling the world ,tasting new dishes ,learning new skills and cuisines ,tasting new flavours finding anything food related that’s new to me .
As a chef ,I can’t wait to teach the students everything I know.
To show them the passion I have for creating dishes and bring my culture to my home chef.
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Looking Forward To Meeting You All
Cookery Teacher
Stephanie Berry
Hi, I’m Steph
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I have been a chef for almost 30 years and still enjoy cooking!
I work part time at a cafe and also do volunteer baking classes at my kids school where possible.
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I am married with 3 boys and a golden retriever and live in north Canterbury.
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I love sugar and making things look pretty.
I enjoy cooking for friends and family and showing others how to master something in the kitchen.
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Teaching at My Home Chef is so rewarding for me personally, and I look forward to meeting and cooking with special members of our community.
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