Tess says her love for food is genetic. She grew up with a "stereotypically Jewish grandma" who instilled Tess with the foodie fundamentals. It was an imperative skill set to have since the cooking-gene skipped a generation and Tess ended up being the cook of her household. At 14 years-old, Tess entered the food industry, working all over the Twin Cities. Positions ranged from her first job as a bus-person, to Andrew Zimmern's Intern, to working in a catering kitchen. Tess is the first person to tell you that you have only one food choice you ever really need to make, "Do you want to live heart-healthy or heart-happy? Because there ain't a lot in between."  She chooses the latter every time.