Born in Naperville, Illinois, on February 16, 1992, Emily moved with her family to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1996, and then to Poway, California, in 1998. She graduated from Halstrom High School in 2011. In her early teens, Emily dabbled in baking and cooking, rarely following a recipe but instead creating her own concoctions. While a senior in high school, she decided to pursue a career in culinary arts.
Emily graduated from San Diego Culinary Arts Institute in 2012, earning a certificate of Diplome Professionnel de Commis de Cuisine. She worked at several well-known restaurants in San Diego including Bice and Mister A’s. Since 2016, Emily worked for Chefs on the Run in Los Angeles as a Chef Driver, overseeing catering jobs primarily for the entertainment industry. Emily’s talents, belief in hard work, and dedication to her job earned her high praise in the demanding culinary industry.
Dogs, particularly Golden Retrievers, have always been an integral part of Emily’s life. Her dog, J.R., has been by her side for the past 10 years, always comforting her and often accompanying her on long hikes and runs.
Emily loved spending time with her nephews, Luke, Rocco and Jesse, whether it was building with Legos, playing games, hiding impossible-to-find Easter eggs, or just having conversations with them.
An avid reader, Emily loved and appreciated the classics, her favorite books being “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Great Gatsby,” but her diverse reading interests included biographies, struggles in other countries, investing in crypto currencies, and of course, cookbooks.
Emily, who most recently lived in Santa Monica, California, is survived by her parents, David and Karen Brainard of Poway, CA; sister and brother-in-law Elizabeth (Brainard) and Steven Lombardi of Dana Point, CA; brother Daniel Brainard of Chicago, IL; nephews Luke, Rocco and Jesse Lombardi of Dana Point; and grandmother Katherine Hadders of Poway, CA; along with aunts, uncles and many cousins.
“Emily, we will forever miss your beautiful smile, infectious laugh, witty sense of humor, the twinkle in your eyes, feisty personality, and compassionate, caring and loving spirit.”
Visitation for Emily will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, September 21, at McLeod Mortuary in Escondido, CA. A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m., September 21, at Church at Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Bernardo, CA, followed by a reception at Bernardo Heights Country Club at 4:30 p.m.
In the Chicago area, a Celebration of Life luncheon for Emily will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Villa Cesare Banquet Hall, 900 Eagle Ridge Drive Schererville, IN.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Emily's name be made to Little Angels Service Dogs as Emily loved her dog, J.R., and he brought a sense of peace to her heart. To make a donation in her name visit https://www.littleangelsservicedogs.org/. Click on the "Donation" page and then click on "Birthday, Honor, Memorial."
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