Hello there! Welcome to The Balanced Plate 😊
I am Micaela, Italian living abroad for the past 12+ years (mainly London, now in Amsterdam), with a burning passion for cooking and eating healthy and delicious food. Please also meet my sous-chef Riley!
Living abroad, I always struggle to find the right ingredients to make traditional Italian meals, so it has been my mission to find local alternatives to replicate the beautiful dishes I grew up with (and miss a lot). As trained scientist (yes – I did a complete career switch!), I am a perfectionist and I strongly value precision, professionalism and high quality for both the ingredients that I use and for the overall experience.
My business covers italian-inspired catering, cooking workshops and tasting events – all based in Amsterdam. I have two goals with my cooking classes: to boost food lovers’ confidence and passion in the kitchen, and to improve their quality of life by teaching simple, healthier versions with a vegetarian/vegan twist alongside the traditional recipe. All of this is achieved during my events in a warm and cozy environment, where you can join as part of a private event or just to meet new people.
In my blog posts and during my Amsterdam cooking classes & events I show what are the best local and seasonal healthy ingredients to use, and when and how to substitute meat/fish/dairy without compromising flavor and nutritional value, which is of great benefit for a healthier body and planet. Most of these dishes can be ordered through my catering services. In my Amsterdam cooking workshops, like I did for myself, I want you to upgrade your skills in the kitchen so that you can fill your life with flavorful and healthier dishes to nurture your body in the best way, without using fixed diets and calorie counting.
I want my readers and customers to feel inspired, happy, understood, and able to impress themselves and their loved ones with outstanding culinary creations. Buon appetito!