Bethesda Personal Chef Ula’s Journey

From Poland to the Kitchen: Chef Ula’s Early Inspiration

Ula was only five, standing on her tiptoes in her farmhouse kitchen, when she made crepes on her own for the first time. It was the start of a ritual. Every Friday, while her parents sold eggs at the local market in their small Polish village, she cooked for her seven siblings. Feeding others quickly became her passion and language of care—something she carries on as a Bethesda personal chef.

After high school, she dreamed of culinary school, but her parents discouraged her. They were uncertain of the stability of the food industry and what a future in it might mean for her. Feeling adrift, she followed her sister’s path to work as an au pair in the U.S. Inevitably, her tradition continued–her home quickly became a gathering place, filled with friends and food with dinner parties each week. Her food was so delicious that her friends urged her to pursue her dream. This time, she did! 

Training in Bethesda and Becoming a Personal Chef

At Bethesda’s L’Academie de Cuisine she honed her skills, but it was the unpredictable moments that shaped her the most as a chef–like catering a barn wedding with no kitchen, working with nothing but a hose, a sink, and a make-shift oven. “If I could do that,” she laughs, “then I can do anything.” She hasn’t been stressed in a kitchen since.

After years of running high volume, fast-paced kitchens, Ula decided to reconnect with what drew her to cooking to begin with: preparing homemade meals for families. As a Bethesda personal chef, she loves bringing her Polish roots to her cooking. Her clients’ favorites include pierogies, sauerkraut with sausage, and pickle soup. Then there’s duck breast with crispy potatoes, a dish she makes so often that even her butcher knows her order. 

Life Beyond the Kitchen: Family, Travel, and Connection

She values the flexibility that being a Nourish Culinary personal chef brings to her life. She can spend more time with her two kids; with her pitbull, Mickey; and to connect with nature. Her cooking is often inspired by her travels. She’s currently fascinated with Asian flavors having just returned from a family trip to Japan. Visiting her homeland always reminds her how little you have to do for a dish to taste delicious. There the fruits and vegetables there speak for themselves. 

For Ula, cooking has always been about connection—the simple joy of gathering, sharing, and feeding people well.