Gina Fontana

How did your cooking journey begin?

Cooking hasn’t always come naturally to me. I used to burn literally everything! Growing up, I suffered from a lot of health ailments without any definitive diagnoses. I started cutting gluten out of my diet and automatically felt better; then over the next 5 years slowly cut out dairy, eggs, and meat, and feel better now than I ever have! When I first started I felt lost and hopeless, so I want to inspire others and share that eating this way can still be delicious and doesn’t have to be complicated! You can still indulge in your favorites, just in a different way.

Describe your culinary style.

My culinary style summed up in a few words: Fresh. Clean. Healthy. Gluten-Free. Plant Based. Organic. Simple. Flavorful!

What do you love most about cooking?

I really love the creativity of pairing different flavors together–it’s so much fun! I also love that I get to share my kitchen with my family, and make cooking a fun adventure so that I can teach my children the value of cooking at home and selecting fresh, healthy ingredients to nourish our minds, bodies, and souls!

Favorite recipe you’ve made with Calphalon

I really love my Spring-Vegetable-Skillet-Paella —using the Premier Hard-Anodized Nonstick 6-Quart Saute Pan makes this recipe a breeze! It’s loaded with so many veggies, it’s so simple to make, and is a popular dinner with my family.

Best cooking tip or advice you’ve ever received that you want to pass on to other home chefs?

Have fun! Don’t view cooking as a chore, but rather as a fun kitchen experiment! Keep things simple and be patient as you’re learning.

Insider kitchen tip everyone should know?

Cooking and baking is a marathon. No one starts out being a fantastic chef. If you keep practicing and experimenting, I promise you’ll get the hang of it! We all (even top chefs) have kitchen fails….we just learn from it and try something else!

What is your favorite secret ingredient that instantly elevates any meal?

For savory meals I love adding homemade vegan Parmesan cheese! It’s made with a combination of cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt. For sweet treats, my go-to spice is always cinnamon.