Here's the complete Real Women lowdown on our talented appetizer finalists Angela Amati and Audrina. We're looking forward to seeing them compete in the cool-off in Toronto in July and sampling their dishes. But first, let's get to know them better.

ANGELA AMATI

Who taught you how to cook?

My mother, father and grandmother. They each had their own recipes, which were all different, but delicious in their own way. Our whole family was always very passionate about food and food was always central to gatherings with family and friends. If there was ever any question about our family heritage, it was answered each summer when the ladies in our whole would make tomato sauce in our driveway and my father would barbecue sausages for the neighbours.

Why is cooking so important to you?

I love to cook because I love to bring people together. I grew up in a large Italian family where my family always said that family starts at the dinner table. As an adult, I carry that philosophy with me and love to create dishes in my kitchen that will bring people together in my home.

Who is your biggest inspiration when it comes to cooking?

It is a tie between my mother and my grandmother. I was the youngest of four girls, so when the rest had moved away, I had the opportunity to have them all to myself to learn to cook our traditional meals.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in the Toronto area, where my entire family still lives. I moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, three years ago, where I have been inspired by fresh seafood and local ingredients. I have always been passionate about food and have spent most of my adult life managing the front end of restaurants, mostly so I could spend time with other like-minded people and talk about food constantly.

At home, I spend most of my time either planning dishes or creating inspired meals that I hope will bring joy to my family and friends. I am very excited to be heading back to my hometown for this competition. As a lifelong cooking show junkie, the thought of winning this competition and having the opportunity to bring my passion into people's homes to talk about cooking and do what I love would be a dream come true.

What is the best meal you've ever eaten and why?

I have been lucky enough to travel around the world and have had many culinary adventures and wonderful meals, so it is very difficult to choose just one. One that really does stand out is the wedding menu that we had catered last summer. Not only was each of the five courses amazing, but it was part of such an amazing day with all of our friends and family that the overall experience was the best ever.

Who do you most often cook for at home?

My amazing, wonderful, handsome husband. The expression on his face when he bites into one of my creations just makes my day.

What is the first dish you ever cooked?

I have been cooking for as long as I can remember, so it is hard to pin down exactly what my first dish was. I do have early memories of baking chocolate chip cookies and other treats with my mother and grandmother, as well as helping with traditional family recipes like lasagna, veal parmigiana and homemade tomato sauces.

Do you follow recipes to the number and step?

I rarely follow recipes. I have about a hundred cookbooks and magazines which I use for inspiration and ideas, but I always change something and add my own personal flair and style to the dish.

If you could cook only one dish, what would it be?

Lasagna. I never make the same one twice. Whether I create something inspired by my mother's traditional recipe with meat and cheeses, or a variation with seafood or vegetables, it is never the same dish twice but is always a way to layer whichever delicious ingredients I am craving in one dish.

Describe your biggest kitchen disaster.

I was teaching myself to make a relative's "no fail pie crust" recipe. After the second failure, my husband walked into the kitchen to the sight of me, covered in flour, with a "slight amount" of pie crust on the walls, the ceiling and dangling from the cupboards. He knew better than to even ask and helped me with the cleanup. Despite the initial disaster, I persisted and now enjoy making pie crust.

What will you say to Anna Olson when you meet her in Toronto?

After a short initial bout of shyness, I will say, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, it is an honour to finally meet you. I have been a fan of yours since your show Sugar. You are my baking icon."

AUDRINA

Why is cooking so important to you?

Cooking has always been a lifelong passion of mine beginning from very early on. I grew up in a large Italian-Irish family and spent many hours in the kitchen helping or observing my mom's cooking style and traditions. I began living on my own at the young age of 15 and started working at a local bakery and family-owned restaurant after school and during weekends. The bakery is where I absolutely fell in love with baking and soon started creating my own concoctions in my tiny one bedroom apartment. I do love to cook, but there's just something about creating lavish cakes and pies and the smell of freshly baked bread that gets me excited.

Who is your biggest inspiration when it comes to cooking?

My mom is definitely an inspiration. She always puts such an effort into every meal she makes for us, from our family dinners to the cute lunches she used to pack during our elementary school days. I remember she would put cute little notes in my lunch pail, and one time she filled my PB&J sandwich with gummy worms!

My mom introduced me to the basics, and the combination of the bakery and restaurant definitely helped broaden my level of skill, but I'm really a self-taught cook. Because I was on my own at such a young age I had to learn how to do a lot of things by myself and learn them fast.

What is the first dish you ever cooked?

I've always helped my mom in the kitchen when preparing meals but the very first thing that I had actually created on my own from beginning to end, was my 8th year birthday cake. While growing up, one of our biggest treats on our birthdays was that we got to bake and decorate our own cakes. When I was very small my mom would let me just frost the cake, then lick the bowl!

Do you follow recipes to the number and steps?

Mostly I'm all about "winging it" or giving a dish my own unique touch. While cooking I tend to mostly use my own judgment and also improvise or "switch up" certain ingredients to give each dish my own flare. This also relates to my baking with the exception of some temperamental recipes like soufflés, cakes, pastries and breads as each measurement and equation does have to be exact or the dessert could be a flop.

Who do you most often cook for at home?

I would have to say that I have the joy of cooking the most often for one of my biggest FANS! My husband!! We do entertain throughout the year and I love cooking for my family and friends, but on a regular basis it's just my husband who is my audience, critic and company.

Describe your biggest kitchen disaster.

My biggest kitchen disaster was a moment I shared with my older sister when we just kids. We were probably about 7 or 8 and we wanted to bake cookies for my dad as a surprise. We asked if it would be okay, but didn't tell him what it was or what we were doing other than that it didn't involve the stovetop or cooking anything other than placing something in the oven. After receiving his blessings we proceeded with our concoction.

We were no strangers to the kitchen as we often baked alongside our mom on many occasions but this was our first solo attempt. We mixed a simple batter of chocolate chip cookie dough, but became confused when the recipe called to place heaping tablespoon amounts of batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

We didn't understand what parchment paper was. So we improvised. We used paper towels! To us it was all the same and we figured it would work. So we placed our neat little battered balls onto the cookie sheet lined with paper towels and popped it in the oven. We began to clean up and stopped to take a peek in the oven to see what our cookies were doing. When my sister opened the door all we saw was FIRE! All I remember next was that we screamed, slammed the oven door and ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I remember hearing my dad run in the kitchen and yell, "What's wrong, what's wrong?" Then "Oh s@#&!" Let's just say that we were never again alowwed to bake again unsupervised and my dad sure did get a surprise.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I love my family and my life, and although growing up had been very rough at times I wouldn't change a thing. Every challenge and experience has made me the person I am today and although I'm not without flaw, I'm proud of who I am and my accomplishments. Growing up on my own and being separated from my parents and siblings was definitely one of the hardest obstacles I've had to experience and have had to work through. Figuring out life's challenges and obstacles on my own was not easy and everything took experience and trial and error, but I managed to keep my head above the water at all times and make it through.

I do believe in what I stated in my profile quote (Napoleon Hill), if we feel strongly and passionately about something, as long as we believe in it and in ourselves, keep our focus and move positively forward, it can be achieved.

What are you going to say to Anna Olson when you meet her in Toronto?

The first thing I would ask is if she wouldn't mind signing a copy of her cookbook for me. Then I would like to tell her how much I enjoyed Olson Food & Bakery in Port Dalhousie. It was just a skip away from my front door and my husband and I frequented there often. We loved her lemon cookies, fudgy crinkle cookies and maple scones. I also would like to tell her how much I admire her work and love her recipes. I have been watching Anna for years and love her shows. I remember watching episodes of Sugar and feeling so inspired afterwards to go bake something or take a recipe that I thought could only be used for one purpose then "switch it up" into something else.