VANESSA J. CABRERA ’99

VANESSA J. CABRERA, who worked as a chef after graduating from the Natural Gourmet Cooking School, died Feb. 22, 2012, at age 34. In addition to working as a chef, she pursued her many dreams: natural food and cooking, natural healing, and entrepreneurship. Survivors include her parents; her sister, Melissa Cabrera ’96; her brother; her nephew; her aunt; and several cousins.

Submitted by C. Anne Brockelman ’96 on behalf of Vanessa’s family:
After graduating from Wes (‘99), Vanessa went on to graduate from the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City.  From that point on, Vanessa worked as a vegetarian chef in a variety of ways: running her own cafe (for a short time), teaching cooking to young people, working as head chef at Rockin’ Raw in Williamsburg, traveling to India and working as a chef for the Purple Valley Yoga Retreat, and more.

Upon returning from her work in India, Vanessa discovered she had breast cancer.  She waged a gallant, private battle, demonstrating extreme courage and strength. Vanessa ultimately lost her battle as a variety of complications from her treatment became too much to overcome.

Her funeral service was held in her hometown of Montclair, NJ.  Among the attendees were her sister, Melissa Cabrera ‘96, and classmates: Nichole Morris ‘99, Janelle Bryan ‘99, Farrah Darbouze ‘99, and Rebecca Reeves (formally Elliot) ‘99.

Vanessa from a cooking demo she ran at the New York Botanical Garden just following her diagnosis in the summer of 2010.  She loved to cook!  It was her art.