Hi, I'm Shannon.
 

Food has always been my favorite way to care for people.

Long before Field & Flame existed, I was the person lingering in cookbook aisles, planning little dinner parties, styling plates no one asked me to photograph, and wondering why gathering around a table could make strangers feel like old friends.

I originally thought photography would be my career. In 2007, I was accepted to RIT to study advertising photography with dreams of someday working in food styling. Somewhere between restaurant kitchens, stacks of cookbooks, and countless meals shared with family, friends, and coworkers, I realized I wanted to create the food even more than I wanted to photograph it.

After leaving school, I focused on learning everything I could about cooking—working in kitchens throughout Rochester, learning from talented chefs and mentors, and developing my own style through years of hands-on experience, curiosity, creativity, and a healthy amount of trial and error. While much of my culinary education has been self-directed, it's been shaped by thousands of hours spent cooking, asking questions, and never quite feeling finished learning.

Today, alongside private dinners, catering, and community events through Field & Flame, I serve as Culinary Coordinator at Homesteads for Hope, where I teach hands-on cooking classes rooted in seasonal ingredients, accessibility, and the belief that great food should bring people together—not intimidate them.

My background in the visual arts still influences everything I do. It shapes the way I think about atmosphere, presentation, color, texture, and the little details that transform a meal into an experience. Beautiful food has always mattered to me—but only if it's just as satisfying to eat.

Field & Flame is sometimes just me, sometimes a small trusted team, and always a reflection of the kind of hospitality I believe in: thoughtful food, genuine connection, and gatherings that feel welcoming, relaxed, and memorable.

At the end of the day, I'm happiest when people gather around the table. If the food helps them stay a little longer, laugh a little louder, and leave feeling cared for, then I've done my job.