Your Hosts
Whitney Otawka
Co-Founder & Retreat Facilitator at Ambrosia
Chef Whitney Otawka has spent a well-traveled career cooking. California born and raised; Whitney’s cooking perspective is shaped by her early years in the Mojave Desert. Pursuing a degree in Anthropology at UCBerkeley was where her love of food blossomed. The hometown of Chez Panisse and an epic local food movement was an unavoidable inspiration for her life’s work, but it was a move to the Southern US that would launch her career. She has worked under numerous James Beard Award winning Chefs, in 3-Michlin Starred kitchens, traveled the world to find a good meal cooking in Norway, France, and Mexico, and is an alum of Top Chef and a Rising Star Chef. She currently collaborates with Corto olive oil as a chef and educational ambassador. Her recipes & writing have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, and Culture Magazine. Their award-winning cookbook The Saltwater Table explores the flavors of the Southeast Coast and their time living on the remote National Seashore of Cumberland Island. all begins with an idea.
Natalie Higley
Co-Founder & Retreat Facilitator at Ambrosia
Raised in the golden light of Occitanie, in southern France—surrounded by sunflower fields and the quiet rhythm of farm life—Natalie has always been drawn to the beauty of simple, intentional living. With English roots and a French soul, she embodies a natural blend of cultures and brings a heartfelt, grounded presence to everything she creates.
Her background spans a variety of creative and experiential fields—from tourism and event coordination to cultural hosting, performing arts, and hands-on collaborations in food, travel, and celebration. A lifelong traveler, she has explored diverse corners of the world, always seeking cultural connection, presence, and authenticity.
Known for her warm energy and passionate spirit, Natalie lives intensely and wholeheartedly, with a deep desire to share joy, light, and the fullness of each moment. She brings that same vitality into Ambrosia, the retreat experience she co-founded with American chef and culinary artist Whitney Otawka.
Together, they invite guests to experience la France autrement—through its landscapes, flavors, traditions, and soul. These retreats are an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and savor the richness of a place.
Whether wandering a village market, exchanging stories over a shared meal, or introducing you to the quiet poetry of rural France, she serves as a warm and intuitive guide throughout your journey.
"Je crois en la beauté des choses simples, l’art de vivre la magie de l’instant présent, et en la joie de se sentir pleinement vivant."
— I believe in the beauty of simple things, the magic of the present moment, and the joy of feeling fully alive.
— Natalie