Amy's Bio: Cooking as a Way to Gather Great People Around the Table

Amy loves to laugh.

Amy Toole is a writer and editor at Amanda’s Menu. As a graduate student in Technical Communication at the University of Central Florida, Amy brings a passion and talent for making complicated topics accessible and engaging to readers. Amy received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Florida.

If you ask Amy about her relationship with food and cooking, she will give you a sheepish grin and admit,

"I don't cook. I don't know a lot about cooking, I just eat the food. I know how to enjoy it."

Amy is an avid reader. She enjoys fantasy novels (A Wrinkle in Time and Blackout/All Clear - by Connie Willis), as well as historical fiction (To Kill a Mockingbird and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). Amy also loves to run.

Amy in grayscale.

Academic & Professional Background

In 2017, Amy made the major move from Jacksonville to Seoul, the thriving capital of South Korea. Amy spent three years teaching English while adventuring the lively streets and picturesque parks, tasting the local cuisine, and befriending locals and expats.

Memorable Meals

When Amy was in Jacksonville, Florida, she was a member of the Finer Food Society. To Amy, meals are about bringing people together. She recalls her most memorable meal to date being the farewell meal that the group held for her before she left Jacksonville.

"I don't remember what we had,” Amy shares, “but I remember it was delicious. There was a moment I looked around the table and paused and just appreciated the fact that we're all here and enjoying this time together. Everyone is standing around the kitchen, sharing stories, and opening another bottle of wine."

Amy trying a new fad called jogging.

Amy's Culinary Favorites

• Chef: Amy's mom and her maternal grandmother, both of whom showed her the art of making a meal an event.

• Cuisine: Mexican

• Dish: Nachos (“I always hate it when it's on the appetizer menu, because then I don't know if it's sharing size or not”.)

• Drink: Coffee (“Strong and dark, every day, as much as possible.”). If she's fully caffeinated, then Amy will get an Italian soda.

• Restaurant: To Amy, it's not about the restaurant, it's about who's around the table.