Maria was born in a small village in central Portugal surrounded by green forests, farms, rivers and waterfalls. She moved to Porto to study management and soon after she moved to Scotland to follow her childhood passion – cooking! As a little girl, Maria helped her mother bake traditional sweet treats. She and her sister used to enjoy whisking the cake batter and then licking the bowl at the end! This is what made Maria curious about food and ignited a passion for cooking and baking in her. Even though Maria graduated in management and worked at a Port wine cellar company for a few years, she later professionally studied to become a chef in Scotland. Maria is a Food and Wine tour guide, who loves creating memorable experiences for her travelers – sharing tips, recipes, cultural and historical information about Portugal, and even offering cooking classes in her own kitchen!