MEET OUR CHEFS
Mimi Saine, MScN, CPC, Co-Founder
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Mimi was born on a fruit orchard, the daughter of two naturopathic doctors, and the granddaughter of a French woman and and Armenian man. Needless to say, nourishing, wholesome food was a centerpiece of Mimi's life from the get-go. While studying Psychology at the University of Colorado she started experiencing mental health issues of her own. Through a self-led health journey she found healing from personalized nutrition, movement, and having a balanced lifestyle. After completing a Masters of Science program at the National University of Natural Medicine, she co-founded Sage Home Chef with her friend Linda.
Linda McNally, MScN, CPC, Co-Founder
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Linda has been always a lover of food, her Italian roots shaped her view of food in relationship to family and love. After studying Journalism at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, she graduated with a Masters of Science in Nutrition from NUNM in Portland. She found her own healing through good food, movement, and natural medicine, after years of finding only disappointment in the conventional healthcare system. She co-founded Sage with her business partner Mimi and to share healthy and delicious food.
Lexi Walter, CPC
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Lexi says feeding people is her love language. She has been cooking since she was a young girl following in her mother’s footsteps. Her love for food and self care became even more clear and strong studying online with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She grew so much having this new clarity around how nourishing and healing food can really be. After finishing school she moved out west in 2015 from Pennsylvania to Oregon for a volunteer opportunity on a local organic farm. She spent her first year out west volunteering on 3 different organic farms. Lexi is also really passionate about healing, spirituality and personal growth. She became a Reiki master in 2018 through the Omega Institute in upstate New York. Portland, Oregon is where she feels most at home. She loves cooking meals for her friends as often as she can and baking special treats for all their celebrations. She has worked in the food industry since she was 14. She has done it all from hosting, serving, cooking, baking, and barista. Providing people with healthy delicious meals brings her so much joy and fulfillment.
Sierra Wilder, CPC
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Sierra was raised in rural Pennsylvania in a family of farmers. She has always been taught that the dinner table is the great uniter and is a way to express love and togetherness with those closest to you. Sierra attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales University and has cooked in restaurants around the country, always in pursuit of a deeper understanding of different cultures and food philosophies. She is also a certified group fitness and indoor cycling instructor with a passion for healthy, nourishing food that promotes wellness inside and out.
Mariel O’Day, CPC
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Mariel grew up in Chicago, where she found her love of cooking while gathering together with family and friends for holidays, and any excuse to have a celebration. After earning her B.A. in Art (all while continuing to cook in Chicago’s restaurants) she further explored her culinary passion by attending the French Pastry School. It was during her time there, that she learned classic techniques and gained an appreciation for detail. Her love of food, art, and nature brought her out West, when she moved to Portland in 2014. Upon completing an advanced clinical herbalism program, she applied that knowledge of native plants as well as how to forage and use a plants as medicine approach to cooking. A love of bringing people together through seasonal, local, and nourishing foods are at the center of her food ethos and nothing brings her more joy than combing those.
Harmony Spangler, MScN, CPC
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Harmony grew up on a guest ranch in Colorado, spending lots of time helping in the kitchen and enjoying the fantastic food. When she was 18, her mom gave her the book, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, and so began her journey into food as healing. Harmony had a previous life in Chicago, attending art school and working at an agency doing graphic design. She moved to Portland in 2006 to raise her kids and soon began working in various restaurants focusing on special diets. She loves nourishing others with food and returned to school in 2020 to complete her Master's Degree in Holistic Nutrition. Her focus has been on a diet related to mental health through the gut-brain axis.
In her free time, she hosts a women's circle, enjoys all the nature that Portland offers, dances, and focuses on quality time with family.
Berlin Hefley, MScN, CPC
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Berlin was raised in a family where food was the ultimate love language. Being born in the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area, Berlin found solace in the comforts of home cooking. For her undergrad, she moved to Eugene, Oregon, where she was introduced to the beauty of living a slower lifestyle. After spending multiple quarters learning about urban farming she realized she was happiest when she was around food; whether it was planting, harvesting, cooking, eating, or simply talking about it. After graduating, she spent her time working at a small restaurant figuring out where she wanted to be in life. During this time, she was also known hosting large dinner events for friends and loved ones. She finally decided that her goal in life was to always talk about food, so she moved to Portland and got her Master’s Degree in Nutrition at National University of Natural Medicine. She did this to understand the way food impacts the body and the benefits of eating wholesome and nutritious food. Her goal now is to spread her love of cooking and to nourish people the same way she has been able to nourish herself- through pouring lots of thought and love into everything she cooks. Berlin loves eating seasonal and balanced meals that are vegetable forward and utilizing healing spices whenever she can.
Angela Fleming, CPC
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Angela had her introduction into the culinary world as a nanny. She didn’t have much cooking influence growing up as her mom was a more throw it together and hope it tastes good, sort of cook. As a nanny her role was to provide healthy meals for the family. During that time Angela had the privilege of traveling the world and tasting cuisines she would’ve never imagined. After her time of being a nanny came to an end, her love of cooking continued and she enrolled and graduated from Le Cordon Blue in Hollywood, CA. This lead to a successful 5 year span working her way up from banquet cook to lead line cook for The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Family needs brought her back to Portland where she worked a short time for The Nines Hotel as their VIP Club Lounge cook. Wanting to get away from the corporate hotel industry she found a meaningful chef position at Willamette View Retirement community. There she fell in love with providing healthy meals for senior citizens and the many health needs they required. Providing good food to these residents became her priority. It made her love for farmers market and farm to table cooking experience evolve. When she isn’t cooking, she keeps busy as a foster parent and mom to her 3 year old son Azul.
Maja Feldman, CPC
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Maja is a multi-disciplinary chef, yoga teacher, and landscape designer, residing in Portland, Oregon. She works to positively affect people's relationship to food and their environment. From a young age she loved to cook and experiment with making traditional recipes "more" healthy. And learned to treat her own health issues through food nutrition. Her love of food has taken her around the world, meeting farmers and understanding different cultural relationships to food and the world's food system. She uses cooking as a creative outlet and loves spending time in the kitchen and garden with her 3 year old son.
Emily Persinger, CPC
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Emily developed a love and passion for cooking in the home of her grandmother’s kitchen in the heart of Arkansas. Her grandmother was an adventurous cook who poured over Bon Appetit and Saveur magazines and always tried something new and exciting to make. Feeding people has always connected Emily back to her grandmother, so she decided to take that passion and run with it. She graduated culinary school with a degree in both culinary arts and baking/pastry in 2018 and has worked in kitchens for over 6 years. Getting to make people happy with food is a love language and Emily feels honored to get to do it for a living. When she’s not cooking, you can find Emily floating down the Sandy river, at the local library, doing yoga, making music, and hanging with her pug, Charles.
Danielle Cefaro, CPC
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Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, Danielle is a seasoned culinary artist with a passion for creative cuisine. She graduated from culinary school in Florida and honed her skills in the kitchens of fine dining restaurants in Chicago and New York City. Danielle's culinary journey has led her to embrace a diverse range of cuisines, including Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Mexican, and many more. Her culinary style is characterized by a love for vegetables, a commitment to seasonal ingredients, and a dedication to delivering exquisite flavors. Now based in Portland, Oregon, Danielle continues to craft exceptional dishes that celebrate the beauty of fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Her culinary creations are a fusion of tradition and innovation, always pushing the boundaries of taste and presentation.
Hallie Saber, CPC
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As a chef Hallie is inspired by the pursuit of mind-body-spirit harmony, knowing that eating well cultivates a real zest for life. Plant-forward cooking, fermenting, and experimentation has captivated them from an early age. They have worked for a farmers market food truck in North Carolina, studied herbal medicine while working in the Bay Area tech industry, and cooked for seniors as an in-home caregiver here in Portland. One highlight in their culinary journey was living in rural Oregon, where being 45 minutes away from the grocery store taught them to see opportunity in what we sometimes call “the dregs” of the fridge and pantry–pulling out those lesser used items to make interesting and wholesome pairings. Now, Hallie delights in sharing healing foods with their clients, community, and family. Their dishes prioritize depth of flavor, a balanced sensory experience, and nutrient-density. Hallie is a lifelong learner with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Mount Holyoke College. In their free time, you can find them in movement practices, crafting, and looking to the natural world for inspiration and restoration.
Melanie Matta, MScN, CPC
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Melanie first found her love in the kitchen at a very young age in the form of baking. She gravitated towards any excuse to bake, cook, or plan a menu for family, friends, neighbors, holidays, and even the smallest celebrations. She also lived a very active lifestyle and became interested in the science of how food affects the body, which led her to attend Illinois State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Food Nutrition and Dietetics. After graduating, Melanie knew she wanted to learn more, but with a focus on healing and fueling the body with a holistic approach and where it all begins, the kitchen. This led her to the National University of Natural Medicine where she graduated with a Master of Science in Nutrition. Melanie believes that food tastes better when you love the way it’s grown and prepared, with a strong focus on seasonality, single ingredient foods, and eating in a way that makes you feel your best. With her roots connecting back to baking, Melanie loves creating energizing baked goods that taste like a treat, but are nourishing at the same time. When Melanie isn’t working, she can be found outdoors, mostly hiking, backpacking, or staying active with her dog. She enjoys making natural dog treats and focusing on hiker nutrition to stay fit for all of life’s adventures.
Maddy Betancourt, MScN, CPC
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Maddy has had a lifelong love of food. Growing up, she was homeschooled, and much of her “classroom” was the kitchen, garden and u-pick farms. Her mom taught her about all things seasonal and local; growing plants from seeds, harvesting the produce, and bringing it to the kitchen to cook, bake, can, dry, freeze, or ferment. In her early twenties she worked at a gluten free, dairy free, allergen-friendly bakery, and found so much satisfaction providing customers with treats that put smiles on their faces while also meeting their dietary needs. She became interested in nutrition after dealing with some health issues in her teens that were solved with nutritional adjustments. She went on to pursue her Masters of Science in Nutrition at the National University of Natural Medicine. Additionally, she has a Health Coaching certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She is passionate about the intersection of food, pleasure and nourishment; helping people eat food that lights them up, while also fueling their bodies to do all the marvelous things they love to do. When she’s not cooking, you can find Maddy in the garden, listening to podcasts or reading, on a hike, or doing yoga.
W.L. Stinnett, CPC
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Meet Chef W, a Nashville native with a passion for culinary excellence! After honing his skills in Tennessee, he brought his love for Southern flavors to the Pacific Northwest in 2021. With 20 years of experience in the food industry, holding various titles including Executive Chef, W is a seasoned professional dedicated to bringing quality, soul-nurturing food to all. When not in the kitchen, he's exploring Oregon's vibrant culinary scene, catching a game of his beloved Portland Trail Blazers, and soaking in the local arts and culture.
Emily Sundstrom, CPC, NTP
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Emily's culinary wellness and nutrition career was shaped early on by her mother, a self-taught holistic health advocate and skilled home chef. Her mother's guidance and passion for cooking with fresh, nourishing ingredients instilled in her a deep appreciation for the kitchen. It was more than just a room—it was the heart of connection, culinary exploration, and nourishment with real, whole ingredients. This early exposure to cooking laid the foundation for Emily's future in culinary and nutritional wellness. Driven by her health challenges and the struggles of her loved ones, she later pursued education at The Nutritional Therapy Association, becoming a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. Today, her commitment to aiding others in achieving optimal nourishment is evident through her dedication to crafting meals that prioritize nutrient-dense ingredients, promoting overall well-being. Alongside this culinary passion, she co-founded Nourished Abode, a nutritional therapy practice with her sister. Guiding others to vibrant health through wholesome foodis not just a job; it's her immense source of joy and her passion!