Celebrating Women's History Month: Sacramento chef blazes trails in the culinary world
As Women's History Month continues we are highlighting women making their mark.In the culinary world, one local chef is lighting a fire.
Sacramento Chef Nina Curtis is sautéing her way to the top, having recently been named one of the 25 Top Women in Food Service and Hospitality in the country for 2024.
"I do my thing. I'm a free spirit, I do my thing God gave me gifts. I never want to stand in front of Him and have Him say, 'Did you use all the gifts I gave you?' and I say 'no,' Curtis said.
This private chef drizzles her plant-based vegan dishes everywhere she cooks.
" I think chefs have a responsibility to feed people good food not just good for our taste buds but food that we can thrive on and makes us feel good," said Curtis.
Chef Curtis has found the recipe for success with her deliciously, healthy, plant-based recipes.
"I was bodybuilding and I was like this wasn't working how am I going to get my protein how am I going to build muscle and I was winning, so I did the deep dive... I feel good, I'm compassionate about the sustainability of our environment," she said.
From the Tower Bridge dinner in Sacramento, all the way to the white house in Washington DC, Chef Curtis is making her story history.
She curated the first all-plant-based dinner in the history of the White House State dinners.
"There was a lot of feel-good we're making her story h-e-r... I had to really pinch myself I had to realize nobody is pranking me, this is real it was kind of like a blink and I was there and we did the dinner there were over 400 guests and it was really special."
Special considering this little girl never wanted to be a chef because her dad was one.
"Coming up in the kitchen with my dad, if I can handle him in the kitchen there's nothing that scares me," Curtis said.
The only thing that scares her is not being the best she can be.
"Because I'm competitive with myself I'm trying to beat that best and I'm like thank you Lord for another day to be better than my best," Curtis said.