Carol is not Greek by blood, but by spirit (and is now a citizen, so officially Greek!). She was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina and fell in love with Greece on her first visit in 1987. That visit changed her life. She immediately started learning Modern Greek and received a BA in Modern Greek Studies at Boston University. Then moved to Greece in 1990 (at 22) and in 1992 proficiency certificate in modern Greek from Athens University.

However, the most life changing  aspect was that Carol learned to eat(!) and cook traditional Greek dishes, 100% according to the Mediterranean diet. This was not her choice--her favorite dishes were those of any American kid--hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, steaks, bbq and virtually no vegetables at all! But in 1991, when she was struggling to make a living as a teacher in Greece, she met her future husband’s grandmother--Yiayia, who loved having her grandson and his American girlfriend over  for lunch every day. She was a healthy and active 90 year old at the time, who cooked daily and smoked like a chimney!  Yiayia absolutely followed the traditional Greek Mediterranean diet and Carol learned to eat and love the many vegetable and legume dishes Yiayia cooked--and never missed her the American diet she grew up eating. 

Yiayia started Carol on her journey of living the Greek way and loving Greek cuisine with its rich tradition of vegan and vegetarian dishes. Carol further enriched her knowledge during her 20 years of living permanently in Greece and yearly visits thereafter.

In 2010, after an increasingly abusive relationship that ended in domestic violence due to her ex-husband's psychological state, Carol and her son returned to Columbia in 2010. 

As her background was in teaching, she went back to university and in 2013, received a MA in bilingual/bicultural education from Columbia University Teachers College (NY). 

However in 2014, after a short time as an adjunct instructor at USC, she realized her calling was to follow her real passion--sharing her knowledge of Greece and all that she had learned there. First, noticing that there was no service that provided home-cooked healthy dinners, she launched Ambrosia—a dinner delivery business offering homemade authentic Greek food. 

Feeling frustrated that she could not find the rich, healthy, delicious village extra virgin olive that she was used to in Greece, which is the absolute cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet and essential to all Greeks, she started importing EVGE in 2016, along with other products not found here such as gigantes beans, herbs, mountain teas and varieties of raw honey. 

And in 2017, she  began creating custom itineraries and privately guided travel to Greece under the name, Be My Guest in Greece.

Now, her mission is to share how easy it is to follow the Mediterranean diet through simple prep and organization! She is a living example of what a healthy lifestyle it is--57 years old with no history of chronic illness, nor medication ever for chronic conditions.