Kathleen Delano, Personal Chef Kathleen was born with a passion for food. At a very early age she was given free reign in her mother’s kitchen where she began to express her creativity, to the delight of family and friends. Kathleen was greatly influenced by the late Adelma Grenier Simmons of Caprilands Herb Farm in Coventry, CT where she grew up. She began collecting the world-renowned herbalist and cookbook author’s books, which have been a source of inspiration for her for most of her life. Later, Kathleen traveled extensively in Europe where she had the opportunity to study the cuisines of several countries including Austria, England, France, Ireland and Italy. While raising her two children and studying biology and nutrition at Eastern Connecticut State University she had various food related occupations including personal cheffing and catering. Her children used to jokingly complain that they never ate normal food like the other kids because they had to eat homemade food all the time. She still maintained a close relationship with her mentor, Mrs. Simmons and when her chef of many years retired Kathleen was offered the position. As the chef at Caprilands, Kathleen developed seasonal menus using the recipes from Mrs. Simmons’s more than fifty cookbooks, to serve the hundreds of guests that visited the farm weekly from around the world. Also, as her personal chef she was able to create some of her own recipes for the “queen of herbs” personal enjoyment. Kathleen’s experience working with Mrs. Simmons was a unique educational opportunity unavailable anywhere else. Since Mrs. Simmons’s death in 1997, Kathleen has decided to continue her career as a personal chef and has become a Premier Member of the United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA). Kathleen is also certified by the American Food Safety Insitute and she has brought her magical ways with food to Northwestern CT where her clients enjoy her various cuisines and personal attention to their tastes and special dietary concerns. Kathleen now resides in New Preston, Connecticut.