Born in Versailles, France in 1963, close to the famous chateau of King Louis XIV, I grew up savoring the best food and drink that France offers, eventually earning the American nickname: “Champagne Charlie.” My mother taught me to cook when I was six, starting with a simple yogurt cake, and moving on to Lorraine quiche, from the region where my mother grew up.

In 2002, I moved to the US for my role as VP of Marketing with Symrise North America—a global manufacturer of flavors for the food and beverage industry. I now have more than thirty years of experience in the food and beverage industry, both in Europe and in the U.S.

Through my job, I've had access to a variety of acclaimed people in the food industry. In 2015, I developed an exclusive partnership with StarChefs, a trusted resource for the food and beverage industry, and began moderating panel discussions with successful culinary professionals. I launched the popular podcast “flavors unknown” in 2018, which features conversations with acclaimed, award-winning cooks, chefs, and mixologists. Soon after, I published my first book, “Conversations Behind The Kitchen Door: 50 American Chefs Chart Today’s Food Culture”.

My connection to Madagascar is linked to my role as VP of Marketing at Symrise. Several years back, I spearheaded a nationwide contest in the U.S. in partnership with StarChefs, challenging chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists to craft innovative creations using Symrise's premium vanilla extract. The winners traveled with me to Madagascar in 2022, immersing themselves in the origins of this extraordinary ingredient. This journey marked the beginning of my ongoing exploration of Madagascar’s rich culinary and cultural heritage, which I revisited in June 2023 and deepened further during another visit in May 2025.

I currently reside in New Jersey, which acts as a home base for my travels around the country, conducting tastings, lectures, and presentations on food and consumer trends.