Cinnamon Berg: Local chef and caterer

You use lots of international techniques in your cooking. Where did that interest originate?

My stepdad, who I just called my dad, is Japanese. He was born and raised on Maui … so I have a lot of Asian influences from him. Then my Polish side, I really have delved into that side of my family recently in the past few years.

Then I went to French cooking school, and I met lots of people from all sorts of different places working in restaurants. So I learned their food that their moms would make, or their grandmas would make. And I’m just inspired by that: You know, mom’s food, grandma’s food and traditional recipes.

You talk a lot about "traveling the world through food." What does that mean to you?

If I learn about a new cuisine, or something that someone made for me that I tried, I just delve right into it, and get books and read about it, and try to understand: What’s the national dish? … I just absolutely love traveling the world through food. It’s so easy.

[Right now] I’m looking more into Polish food, so I’ve been kind of studying more of that region of the world … I follow a couple people on Instagram. One of them is “Polish Foodies,” and she’s so fun, and she just talks about traditions. I’ve been doing some of the baking that she has on her Instagram page — you know, getting back to basic foods like cabbage rolls and that kind of thing.

Most folks know you from Cosmos Bistro, which closed in 2023. How does running a catering company differ from running a restaurant?

I’m still learning a lot about what I would like to have my catering business be. So right now, I’m doing pretty small things, and with a lot of people that I met through the restaurant — luckily, I have lots of people who still want my food, which is awesome.

But yeah, it’s a lot different from running the restaurant, because … it’s kind of fun to just do parties that I want to do, and meet people that I want to hang out with. Although I love the restaurant, too, don’t get me wrong!

Folks know you best as a chef, but you also make bath and body products from scratch. How did you get started, and does it relate to your other endeavors?

I’ve always been into herbal healing and natural body products, and so I’ve been making them for a really long time, especially after I had kids. I wanted them to have natural things to put on their body … It’s recipes, and it’s combining different scents and different ingredients to make a different product with very simple things.

When you’re not on the clock, what kinds of foods do you like to eat?

Since I do this for a living, a lot of people don’t cook for me. So I always love when someone cooks for me! It doesn’t matter if it’s a piece of toast or if it’s an elaborate meal or just a charcuterie board, whatever. If it’s made by someone else, I enjoy it so much more than if I do it myself.

But usually, just for me, I’m a super simple eater. I like a chunky salad and a nice vinaigrette. I like wine and cheese and some of my things that I try to not eat, but I still like, from growing up in the ’70s.