Meet the Team
KAREN HUTCHISON | FOUNDER & CHEF
California native Karen Hutchison fell in love with catering at just 19 years old when she worked her first event in Lake Tahoe. That spark led her to the Culinary Institute of America in Upstate New York in 2012. She refined her skills in the vibrant New Orleans hospitality scene before returning to the West Coast in 2014.
In Los Angeles, Karen balanced high-end boutique catering with the intensity of music festival production kitchens. She has managed production catering at Lightning in a Bottle and fed installation artists at Coachella and Burning Man - all of which required her to live on-site for weeks in extreme conditions, managing logistics and hiring while leading teams serving anywhere from 60 to 3,000 daily meals.
After a move to Knoxville in 2017, Karen explored the administrative side of hospitality, managing customer service and operations remotely for an LA meal prep company. She catered on the weekends and returned to California periodically for festival work. In 2019, she and her husband Kellen returned to the Central Coast and welcomed their son Hugo two years later. Karen launched Healing Harvest in 2022 and private dinner parties quickly grew into a full-service catering operation.
After 13 years of learning from esteemed mentors, nothing brings Karen more joy than running her own company—sourcing locally, crafting custom menus, and connecting with clients.
When she’s not crafting dining experiences, Karen enjoys mountain biking at Montana de Oro and beach days with her family. A collector of vintage tasting spoons and amateur upholsterer, she also plays on a local tennis team, and manages Hugo’s ever-expanding driftwood “sword” collection.
ALISON EVANS | EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF
With two decades of diverse culinary experience, Alison brings a deep passion for food, leadership, and hospitality to Healing Harvest. Alison’s culinary journey began at the Culinary Institute of Las Vegas, followed by hands-on experience at Wynn. She quickly rose through the ranks in high-end kitchens, including B&B Ristorante at The Venetian where she became Executive Sous Chef in just six months. Her expertise spans fine dining, catering, pastry arts, and artisanal baking - from crafting wedding cakes at Bittersweet Pastry Shop in Chicago to leading doughnut production at Glamdoll Donuts in Minneapolis.
After years of vacationing on the Central Coast, Alison and her husband made the move in 2020. A friendship with Karen led to a professional partnership in 2023. As Executive Sous Chef, Alison is the backbone of the kitchen—overseeing menu execution, minimizing food waste, and ensuring the highest standards. Her creativity, relentless work ethic and comedic timing make her an essential piece of the Healing Harvest puzzle.
Outside of work and plotting her next tattoo, Alison soaks up time with her husband and two children, gardens, bakes sourdough from her beloved starter, Minnie - a living legacy she has carried across the country through countless moves, and dreams of opening a cozy, seasonally driven restaurant.
ANETTE MIZZI | FOH MANAGER
Born in Sweden, Anette moved to Los Angeles in the late 80s and began a lifelong passion for customer service and hospitality. Anette’s career spans tour guiding, business ownership, and event administration, including staffing high-profile events like the Academy Awards. After moving to the Central Coast in 2015, she spent nearly a decade as an event leader at Chef’s Table Catering and worked in an administrative role for five locations at Rizzoli’s Automotive.
In 2024, she shifted to a more relaxed pace but remains deeply involved in hospitality as Healing Harvest’s Front of House Manager. With impeccable taste and attention to detail, she ensures every event runs seamlessly, creating warm and elegant guest experiences.
In her free time, Anette enjoys volunteering at Pismo Preserve, beach walks with her pup Roscoe, and hosting friends with her husband, Dave. Fun fact: Anette and Dave hosted the very first Healing Harvest private dinner! Whether she’s collaborating with Karen, volunteering, or enjoying a visit to a local winery with friends, Anette brings excellence, enthusiasm, and a wickedly dry wit to all she does.
Let’s Make Magic Happen
Great food. Unforgettable experiences. That’s what we do best. Contact us below to submit an inquiry — we’d love to bring your vision to life!