In the beginning of the month, it would be filled with food; food like fish and chicken, and sometimes beef. But at the end of the month, because my father would be waiting for his paycheck, the refrigerator would be nearly empty.

It’s not as bad as it sounds, because oftentimes, some of the best meals of my life happened when there wasn’t a lot of food left. My mother and father were incredible about making the most of what they had. They taught me that putting a delicious meal on the table didn’t take a lot of money, and throughout my career, the ability to think on my feet and make the most of the ingredients I had was invaluable