My Story

I’ve been cooking as a hobby for many, many years and have always found a deep, personal satisfaction in it. I vividly remember my mother teaching me how to make stuffed mushrooms when I was nine. I think that planted a seed that came to fruition many years later when I agreed to cater my first event: a Luau party for 35 people.

It was a huge undertaking for me at the time with 3 different appetizers (including my famous southwestern crab cakes and some amazing lobster crouton bites), a Hawaiian Fruit Salad, a heaping portion of my Pineapple-Teriyaki Kabobs, and nearly half a dozen Key Lime Pies.

Despite the challenges in the kitchen, the look of joy and contentment on everyone’s face was all I needed — I was hooked! I don’t think I truly realized until that night what joy I could feel from feeding people. That night I realized I wanted to take this beyond a hobby, and reach for the stars!

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You see, I’ve struggled with health problems from a young age, all of which conspired to rob me of my joy. When I was in pain and feeling low, I’d direct my attention to the kitchen. Cooking and learning about diverse cuisines always brought me relief.

At first, Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa, Alton Brown’s Good Eats, and Julia Child’s The French Chef helped me get through many of my most difficult times. I took that inspiration and began dreaming about owning a catering business, where I could share the joy of good food with others.

I’ve found many ways to reduce my pain and improving my health over the years, but I can honestly say that throughout the difficult times, cooking for myself, and for others is what really saved me. Now in recovery, I've invested my all into turning my dreams into a reality.

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I started back at that Luau, cooking for my friends and family who encouraged me to expand my menus and take on larger projects, events, and parties around the Seacoast. Since then, I’ve enrolled myself in a French cooking program and continued to expand my skills and offerings every year.

Today, I enjoy cooking many different styles of food—from French, Italian, and Mexican, to American Bistro—and love working with clients to develop menu items that fit their tastes and needs.

After years of commitment, I’m pleased to say that my dreams have become reality with the launch of Stardust Culinary Services.

I absolutely love sharing my cuisine with others, and crafting delicious food from the highest quality ingredients in the region. This work brings me so much joy, and I hope to be able to share that joy with you, too.

With love,
Chef Heather Anderson