Chef Kate Johnson

Meet Kate, the accidental culinary maestro who fell for cooking in her late teens, sharing baked goods on band trips and sleepovers. Years later while in the Air Force, Kate found herself daydreaming about fruit tarts instead of doing work, she then realized she should look into doing that for a living.

Initially not a fan of teaching, Kate, in an unexpected turn of events during an emergency event cover-up, discovered her love for it. Now, eight years on, she’s thriving as a chef instructor, bringing her unique flair to the culinary world.

Kate’s culinary style is all about real, everyday food for everyday people, envisioning her mom as the quintessential home cook. The best part of her gig? The community around food, especially the joy of folks recreating her lessons at home. Kids’ Camp is a highlight, witnessing kids proudly replicating day one’s recipes for their parents.

Beyond the kitchen, Kate’s world revolves around her senior dog, Midge, and Willa, the bat-hunting cat. She effortlessly oscillates between highbrow and lowbrow, falling out
of the sky in a Zelda game, anticipating the next Vanderpump Rules season, and immersing herself in Christopher Logue’s War Music.

Adding to Kate’s unique culinary journey is the fact that she was born without a sense of smell. Instead of viewing it as a limitation, Kate approaches cooking with a fearless
attitude, occasionally overlooking the oven timer with a cavalier flair. Favorites include The Two-Headed Calf poem, the holy grail of Jif Peanut Butter, and her go-to drink
combo of Fernet and Diet Coke. For a death row meal, it’d be 100 almonds inside stone fruit pits. Oh, and Kate confidently believes she could conquer 30 scrambled eggs in
one epic sitting.

In Kate’s world, it’s all about keeping it real and keeping it cooking!