Who's Baking Here Anyway?

Hi Friends,

There are a lot of new faces around Next Level Gluten Free lately. New subscribers have been coming hot and heavy for which I am so grateful! I’m also grateful for my long time readers - you are all truly allowing me to live my dream. Thank you!

But, who am I? Why should you listen to me?

Sarah Fay Writers at Work

says you should ask this of everyone you subscribe to. So I thought it was time for a little introduction or re-introduction.

My name is Rachel Ciordas (that last name is pronounced CHORE-DASH, it rhymes with DoorDash). I’m a girl from Kansas City in the very middle of the USA. Like if you were to strategize a place to get the absolute farthest from fresh seafood this would be the spot. (Unfortunately, I love seafood but I also love KC.) It’s refreshing that lately when I say where I’m from people say football and T. Swift instead of Wizard of Oz and the boringness of the highway trips across my state… that was getting a little old.

I went to college for hospitality and spent much of my early career working in restaurants and hotels including at Yellowstone National Park which is where I met my husband. He is from Romania and was on a college exchange program (thus the hard-to-pronounce last name).

Since he’s an only child whose parents live across the world it means we visit as often as we can. We also visit other countries on the way there or back or have relatives meet us somewhere in Europe.

Since we don’t live where there is a direct international flight anywhere and neither do his parents there are many stops on the way that can be extended to become opportunities for travel, and culinary inspiration.

I love that.

I went on to grad school and then managed cooking schools. That’s when I started teaching cooking classes in those schools on the side.

I found that I loved teaching the most.

My side gig became my main gig and I became a freelance cooking teacher.

I’ve taught MANY thousands of people how to cook many dishes over the last 15 years. I’ve taught in cooking schools, for corporate team builders in offices, in health food co-ops, at BBQ competitions, in homes, in churches, online and in four different hospital systems including currently teaching with the University of Kansas Hospital and Medical Center.

I spent 8 years teaching cooking classes at a local health food co+op - where I met one of my most important mentors Nancy. She taught me so many things, she taught me about maintaining high standards, pride in your work, and focus on a mission that truly matters. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without Nancy. Do you have mentors that changed your life?

If you see me around sometime, I’m likely dragging a huge bag of cooking tools to someplace or another.

Teaching people to cook and bake is my greatest joy.

Over 8 years ago one of my sons became very ill while we were on a family trip to Romania visiting my in-laws. It was scary, we weren’t home with familiar doctors and he was SO sick and so young.

He seemed to be getting better, but then he didn’t. He kept getting weirder and weirder seemingly unrelated symptoms and I spent the majority of my time the next few months running him to the ER or various doctors. No one seemed to know what was going on.

I’m sure many of you can relate to this.

After many different doctors and opinions, I FINALLY got him to the right ones. The celiac team at our local hospital was amazing and gave us a lot of direction, but it was SO overwhelming at first.

I remember looking at my mom and saying…. What? There’s no way!!

My first attempts at gluten free baking and cooking were… not so great shall we say. I thought my professional training and experience would help me and it did, but in different ways than anticipated and there was still a learning curve.

Over time I figured things out. I tested and tested and developed many wonderful new gluten free recipes and revamped old favorites from the (wheat-based) bakery business I used to have.

I started to share this food with others, including my sister because these issues run in families don’t you know?

This was all during what- I must tell you was one of the most difficult periods of life so far. My husband had cancer, and quite an aggressive treatment. My best friend died of cancer and only a few weeks later, my mother was diagnosed with cancer and started treatment. My kids were really young.

I cared for people, and I cooked. I developed new gluten free recipes like crazy.

Why?

Cooking is creative. Cooking is fun. Cooking is the yes in a world of no.

Cooking what you want and miss is empowering.

Creating recipes so that everyone in our family was included is something I could DO.

I’m a woman of action.

I can’t fix too many things in this world, but I can ensure there’s a great gluten-free cinnamon roll or sandwich bread.

I love developing new gluten free recipes - I get inspiration from everywhere. Travel to a new country - learn a new technique that makes life simpler or more delicious! I’m always writing a new recipe.

So why do I share these recipes with you?

I love to teach, and I hope to make all of your lives just a little better. Most of the time when someone needs to eat gluten free the reasons aren’t that fun - but creating and eating beautiful food is.

I hope these recipes bring you a little bit of joy, a little bit of nostalgia, and a little bit of inspiration. I hope all the tips I share give you confidence.

I hope to make your life more delicious.

Happy Baking,

Rachel

Next Level Gluten Free recipes are tested over and over and scientifically work! Then I walk you through all the details. I’m like your friend in the kitchen, who’s a gluten free expert. Upgrade to a paid membership so we can hang out more and you get to eat more delicious gluten free food.