Rikki, born and raised in the United States, has worked in the fashion and education industries and is a trained chef, but her biggest passion in life has always been traveling. After cycling, trekking, and hitchhiking her way through about 30 countries on 4 continents, Rikki ended up in the mountains of eastern Turkey. She fell in love with the cultural and natural wonders of the country, and was lucky enough to be offered her own travel documentary on Turkish national television. Two shows, 35 episodes, and many adventures later, Rikki is still living in Turkey, now exploring it’s rich culinary heritage. She is currently working to compile a book about local Turkish cuisine.