Maria Abiusi was born into a typical Italian immigrant family here in Winnipeg. She grew up with the tradition of good wholesome food, most of which was planted and harvested in the backyard. Much of her culinary training was hands-on beside her mother who was very much ahead of her time with her focus on organic gardening and clean eating. Maria is now the mother of three and works to pass on those traditions to her own children. An avid cook and naturalist, she loves to garden and enjoy the outdoors. The Food Studio was established in 2006 with a Cooking Camp for Kids, and quickly grew to offer cooking classes to adults, host special occasion functions for individuals and groups, and conduct a variety of team building events. A full listing of programs, which changes with the seasons, can be viewed at www.foodstudio.net.