MEET THE
CHEF & OWNER

  Chef Alana Gillen was born and lived in Singapore; this is where her love for Asian inspired cuisine began. She continued to explore her passion for culinary arts which led her to culinary school in San Francisco. While going to school Alana worked under some of the best chefs in the bay area. After culinary school Alana further expanded her knowledge with an internship in Hong Kong at Bo Innovation, a 2 Michelin star restaurant. There, she studied cutting edge molecular gastronomy.

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  After moving home to California Alana worked at Artisan in Paso Robles, where she helped execute a farm to table concept. The restaurant worked with local farmers sourcing ingredients.  Being part of that team combined Alana’s passion for food with health, wellness, and sustainability. She began a journey to learn more about quality  and responsibly sourced ingredients supporting the holistic power of food.

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  Alana moved back to the Bay Area to attend Bauman College, where she immersed herself in holistic health education. While attending Bauman she worked as a Sous chef at Facebook headquarters overseeing 60 culinary staff, creating innovative & nourishing meals daily. After five years living in the hustle and bustle of the city Alana made the decision to return to San Luis Obispo and open her own business. She wanted to use her background in Asian food and holistic healing to bring wellness to the community. Myndful Meals is the culmination of all these experiences.