About Monika

In a past life I have been a chef, restaurateur, and chief bottle washer.

Today, I am an enthusiastic traveller of South East Asia, occasional consultant, food blogger, Chowdown Vietnam Food Tour organizer and the face behind Fearless Cooking Class and Workshops in Hoi An, Vietnam & Vancouver, BC, Canada and anywhere else.

A few years ago I fell completely in love with Vietnam’s magical culture and people, while criss crossing the country several times and indulging in their amazingly fresh and healthy cuisine.

Vietnam put a string around my heart and has me coming back for more year after year.

Chowdown Vietnam Food Tour and Fearless Cooking were created to share my passion with you.

I am not a writer nor a nutritionist, but I have travelled in the land of food far longer than I care to mention.

Being born and fed in Austria to a family of restaurateurs, the importance of fresh food ingredients that just burst with simple flavours was instilled in me very early.

The smells and excitements of growing up in the restaurant world inspired me to further my education at Hotel Training School in Austria.

You learn a little bit of everything, yet not much of all. So gathering up experiences all over the globe is pretty much the norm. I was very fortunate to train in some amazing European Hotels in various departments.

It brought me to what I like to call “live and learn” places, like Paris, London, Vienna, Beijing, Singapore and of course Vancouver, Canada, my home country for more than 40 years.

From chief bottle washer to head chef in my own restaurant ventures, to working for a corporation in Asia and countless other gigs, over time, I have made some great observations and had some amazing learning experiences.

Now I just like to follow my culinary nose and share my experiences.

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