About

My name is Bernadette and I’m a Los Angeles-based writer and Pilates instructor.

I spent nearly 20 years in San Francisco, working in various industries, from interior design to fashion, to food and wine. I currently live in Los Angeles with my husband and dog, where I am a full-time freelance writer and Pilates instructor.

As the granddaughter of immigrant restaurant owners, I started learning about food at a very young age. My mom is, to this day, an amazing cook, and I give her a lot of credit for introducing me to new foods from all over the globe. Despite a major kitchen accident at age 4, I overcame my fear of the stove and started learning how to cook everything — from my family’s Filipino and Chinese recipes to French classics. I also spent several years in the wine industry helping clients purchase fine and rare wines to add to their collections.

My work has appeared on Food52, The Spruce Eats, The Kitchn, Food & Wine, MyFitnessPal, Made Local, and Far & Wide. To see more of my work, check out my Contently portfolio!

My love for Pilates grew out of my background in dance. I have my Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, where I focused primarily on ballet technique and did coursework in kinesiology and movement fundamentals. I started Pilates during my dance training and kept doing it as I stopped dancing. Today, I teach classes and privates for clients of all levels, ages, and abilities.