Cheryl Canter-Valesella was raised in Southern California and grew up amongst three other sisters, her father and her mother - who also had her own catering company. From an early age, Cheryl learned the value of traditional comfort style cuisine cooked entirely from scratch. Between informal lessons from her mother and exploration in the kitchen, she had an extensive knowledge of food much earlier on than most. As an adult, Cheryl spent fifteen years away from the kitchen working as a merchandiser in the fashion industry. Although very successful in her endeavors, she ultimately decided to fulfill her life's dream, and in 1998, she started Baked it Myself! Out Of her own kitchen. She had fallen deeply in love with the more subtle pastries and unparalleled foods of France, which influenced her signature marriage of American cuisine with European finesse. Armed with her passion for honest food, her lifelong real-world culinary education and her culturally diverse palate, Cheryl continues her mission to serve satisfying comfort food alongside innovative fare to satisfy any palate under just about any circumstances