She captured the hearts of television viewers nationwide earlier this year on the Food Network’s cooking competition show, All-Star Academy, a rigorous cooking contest that she survived through the finale, placing first runner-up.
Solvang native Vanessa Craig, took the newfound fame after the TV show aired and started her catering business, Vanessa Loves Food.
“I’ve had a really nice run here in Santa Ynez Valley doing pop-up catering, and it’s been really well received,” Craig said. “I definitely thank my community for all the support that I’ve been getting. Coming from a small town and to have that support rallying around you, there’s nothing like it!”
She has catered winemaker dinners like the one in April at Larner Vineyards in Ballard Canyon, and most recently, Craig’s food has been featured at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company’s taproom in Buellton.
“I’ve done my very, very best to make my food very, very good. And I’m passionate about it,” she said.
But Santa Barbara County is a difficult place to find kitchen space, not to mention the high costs involved with such a business.
“There aren’t very many open catering kitchens that are available to use, and it’s hard to find a place that you can call your own. It’s been challenging, but I wasn’t expecting it to be easy, by any means,” Craig said.
“I feel like I’m kind of spinning my wheels here. I don’t have that start-up capital. I need each gig to fuel the next gig. It seems like I haven’t been able to catch a breath, ya know?”
Craig recently came to a life-altering decision.
The newlywed is moving to Melbourne, Australia, to be with her husband of 10 months, Melbourne resident, Samuel Marsden.
“He is just the light of my life. He is just amazing! He’s really supportive. He’s just tired of seeing me struggle.”
Craig and Marsden met at a karaoke night in Santa Barbara in November of 2014 and married three months later in his native New Zealand.
“It was an absolute whirlwind relationship,” she said. “We caught on like a house on fire. We were just instantly connected.”
Craig flies out Dec. 16 to start her new life on the other side of the world.
“It’s really exciting and also kind of frightening as well because I’ve made this decision to switch continents, which is kind of huge,” she laughed.
The couple hopes to open a small café in Australia.
“There’s a huge café culture over there! The quality of food there is outstanding, and I’m really excited to jump in and bring a little local flavor, California fresh, over in Melbourne.”
Sounds like it could be the makings of a new TV show, right? Craig hopes so! She would love to entice Food Network producers to shine the spotlight again on their little starlet as the charismatic California girl starts up her own restaurant “Down Under.”
In the meantime, Craig’s fans won’t have to wait long to see her return to the small screen.
Last month, she went before the cameras once again, taping Guy’s Grocery Games, All-Star Academy Special, starring restaurateur and popular TV personality Guy Fieri.
The show is expected to air in early 2016 on the Food Network.
“We filmed in Santa Rosa at this amazing grocery set. It’s like a game show; shop ’til you drop. It was quite exciting! I feel really honored and special for being a part of it,” Craig said.
Craig dedicated her upcoming TV appearance on Guy’s Grocery Games to her roommate, a young woman who tragically took her own life in October.
“It was shocking! All these feelings came back. Feelings I didn’t ever want to stir up again,” Craig disclosed.
In 2000, soon after Craig graduated from high school in Santa Ynez, her stepdad, the man who raised her, took his life.
“It was devastating. Even today, I miss him like you wouldn’t believe.”
Craig hopes to encourage others not to be afraid to go the extra mile to help friends or family struggling with depression, in hopes of preventing suicide.
“It’s easy to get holed up in your own life and forget to really reach out to other people to show you care. It’s amazing what a phone call, or going out for coffee can do. It’s something I definitely regret,” Craig acknowledged.
“That really pushed my decision to go to Melbourne to be with my husband. Life’s too short! When you find that person in your life that really truly completes you, it’s a no-brainer. That was the turn,” she said. “I feel really good about it. I really do. We need to cherish life and be with the ones who love you most.”
Farewell and best wishes, Vanessa Craig! May all your dreams come true!
Sun wine and food columnist Wendy Thies Sell may be contacted at wthies@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 10-17, 2015.