Originally from the eastern European country of Moldova, Anastasia Worrell left home at 17 for college in Belarus where she earned a bachelor of arts in marketing. After a year in England for business language, she picked up an MBA in entrepreneurship in Latvia. Her career, however,  blossomed early in Belarus. She began to assist in the coordination of private events and quickly moved into full event organization. She also worked as an assistant professor in Belarus and later, Latvia, where she landed after grad school. In Latvia, Anastasia was a strategist in internet marketing and development, bringing companies “online”. While there, Anastasia met her husband, Ray, and together they chose to make Ray’s Wilmington home, their home together.

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While Anastasia may have married into the restaurant business and continues to be the Marketing Director of Slice of Life, her Food Story reaches back to her days in Moldova. Moldova is perhaps best known for its wine but regionally it is souther and its cuisine is seasonal and agricultural. Moving to and traveling through more northern countries like Belarus, the local diets were richer, heavier, and included more meat. Attempts to fully embrace local diets did not last. Even after moving to America, ever one to fully experience every culture, Anastasia tried all American cuisine had to offer. After three months, however, she knew it wasn’t quite what her body needed. She cut back meat, eventually dropping it altogether. Within a year, she was pescatarian, and after the birth of her daughter, Cynthia, full vegetarian. Through further research and education, she decided to bring Cynthia a diet that made intentional choices surrounding health, the environment and animal welfare. Ray was, at times, a reluctant passenger on this journey but over time, has come to appreciate the health benefits and education he has picked up along the way.