Where is GiGi “The Salmon Queen” Ashworth From? Tracing the Origins of The Seafood Influencer

If you’re a fan of seafood, chances are you’ve heard of GiGi Ashworth, aka “The Salmon Queen.” With over 132,000 Instagram followers and two cookbooks devoted to salmon recipes under her belt, GiGi has made a name for herself as a leading influencer promoting delicious, sustainable seafood.

But where did this self-proclaimed Salmon Queen come from? And how did she become so interested in fish in the first place? This article follows GiGi’s family history and the events that made her a true salmon queen.

Early Life in New England

While GiGi Ashworth currently resides in Los Angeles, she didn’t start out on the West Coast. According to her website and social media bios, GiGi hails from Connecticut originally.

Specifically, she grew up in the historic coastal city of Mystic, CT This charming New England town is located right on the Mystic River with views of Fishers Island Sound

Growing up in a seaside place like Mystic it’s no wonder GiGi developed a passion for seafood early on. In interviews she recalls cooking salmon and other fish dishes frequently with her father while her mother imparted nutrition advice.

Even as a teenager, GiGi was drawn to salmon for its health benefits as she navigated food allergies and autoimmune issues. The accessible, fatty fish provided a nourishing protein she could tolerate.

Beyond her hometown origins, GiGi comes from a diverse background that helped shape her adventurous palate. She identifies as being French on her father’s side and Korean on her mother’s side.

This multicultural upbringing exposed her to a variety of cuisines and flavors from a young age. Her Korean grandmother even taught her traditional dishes like bulgogi, setting the stage for her culinary curiosity.

Boarding School in the Rocky Mountains

While Mystic, CT nurtured her initial interest in seafood, another key stop in GiGi’s early years was boarding school in Steamboat Springs, CO.

Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, this small ski town was worlds away from the Connecticut coastline. But it ended up being pivotal in GiGi’s journey with salmon.

According to interviews, GiGi moved out West for her high school years to attend the Lowell Whiteman School. This prestigious college prep boarding school allowed her to pursue rigorous academics while training as a competitive snowboarder.

Away from the ocean and her family’s home cooking, GiGi had limited access to quality seafood. Yet her passion for salmon persisted. She would request wild salmon be specially ordered for her school meals.

GiGi’s time at boarding school made her more determined and independent, which will no doubt help her in her future endeavors. And the snow-capped peaks proved the perfect backdrop for Salmon Queen glamour shots!.

Even now, GiGi frequently returns to the Rocky Mountains and posts nostalgic photos from her time shredding powder in Steamboat Springs.

Exploring Diverse Cuisines Abroad

After graduating, GiGi Ashworth headed to college at the University of Colorado Boulder. She stayed in the Centennial State, but this time she lived in a busy college town instead of a remote boarding school.

When she wasn’t hitting the books, GiGi continued to feed her curiosity about food and nutrition. This led to opportunities to travel abroad and experience cuisines around the world through a seafood lens.

Some standout trips included:

• A culinary tour of Taiwan where GiGi visited Michelin-starred restaurants, farms, and local homes.

• A voyage through Vietnam focused on adapting traditional dishes to meet her dietary needs.

• A cruise through Greece and Italy indulging in Mediterranean seafood dishes.

• A jaunt to Amsterdam trying all kinds of locally sourced fish.

Through these trips in her late teens and early 20s, GiGi learned to advocate for her food allergies while broadening her palate. Even with restrictions, she discovered just how versatile and delicious seafood could be worldwide.

These immersive experiences abroad fueled GiGi’s passion for seafood and gave her creative insights for cooking sustainably at home. She eagerly brought back recipes and techniques to add even more flair to her salmon creations.

Finding Hercalling in Los Angeles

After graduating college, GiGi Ashworth eventually made her way to Los Angeles, CA – the city she now calls home as Salmon Queen.

Drawn by dreams of working in entertainment, GiGi started with a website and social media focused on celebrity fitness. But she quickly realized entertainment reporting wasn’t her true passion.

Instead, she found purpose in sharing her health struggles and love of seafood openly online. She morphed her platform to spotlight her journey with food allergies and autoimmune issues.

And Salmon Queen was born! GiGi officially claimed her royal fishy title around 2013-2014. Though she’s lukewarm on the label “queen,” the name stuck.

In the Los Angeles limelight, GiGi published seafood-centric cookbooks, grew her Instagram following, and landed TV gigs like MasterChef.

Her buzzy salmon tattoo and glittery athleisure Salmon Queen wardrobe also helped cement her fame on the West Coast and beyond.

Now based in LA, GiGi has come a long way from her early years savouring salmon in Mystic, CT. But the passion that sparked there still drives her mission to make allergy-friendly seafood cooking fun and approachable.

Key Locations That Shaped The Salmon Queen

To recap GiGi Ashworth’s journey, here are the key places that contributed to her evolution as The Salmon Queen:

• Mystic, CT: Her charming coastal hometown where she first fell in love with salmon and seafood thanks to family cooking.

• Steamboat Springs, CO: The Rocky Mountains boarding school where GiGi’s passion for salmon persevered, even far from the ocean.

• Boulder, CO: The college town where GiGi continued her food education and honed her health-conscious cooking style.

• Los Angeles, CA: The city where GiGi embraced her Salmon Queen persona fully and turned her seafood savvy into a career.

• International Destinations: Allowed GiGi to experience global cuisines through a seafood lens and refine her cooking techniques.

So while GiGi identifies as a tried-and-true East Coaster at heart, her salmon stardom blossomed out West. Now, she draws flavor inspiration from all the places she’s lived and traveled to satisfy her insatiable appetite for seafood.

What GiGi Loves About Calling LA Home

Though her roots trace back to the Northeast, GiGi Ashworth feels right at home these days in Los Angeles as the Salmon Queen. Here’s what she enjoys about life in LA:

• Sunny Skies: Coming from the bitter cold of New England, GiGi is a big fan of LA’s perpetually sunny weather. She spends lots of time outdoors hiking and soaking up the rays.

• Beachfront Living: GiGi relishes living close to the Pacific Ocean where she can enjoy beaches, fresh seafood, and the laidback SoCal lifestyle.

• Hollywood Hub: As a TV personality and influencer, GiGi finds lots of opportunities in the LA entertainment industry from acting to sponsorship deals.

• Diverse Dining: With endless restaurants representing cuisines worldwide, LA is a paradise for adventurous foodies like GiGi. Lots of seafood inspo!

• Active Culture: Activewear is GiGi’s signature look, so the fitness obsessives of LA make the perfect audience. She fits right in at juice bars and spin classes.

• Salmon Sanctuary: From sushi restaurants to fish markets, LA gives GiGi easy access to amazingly fresh, sustainable salmon any day of the week.

For GiGi, LA brings together sunshine, saltwater, and salmon – basically all her favorite things! The move out West aligned perfectly with her ambitions as The Salmon Queen.

How GiGi Pays Tribute to Her East Coast Roots

While LA may be GiGi’s reigning kingdom now, she still shows love for her East Coast origins in many ways:

• Nostalgic Memories: GiGi frequently posts throwback pics from her childhood in Mystic or boarding school days shredding powder.

• Seafood Suppliers: She sources salmon and other seafood from trusted East Coast fisheries and suppliers.

• Recipe Inspiration: Traditional New England dishes like clam chowder, lobster rolls, and clambakes influence GiGi’s cooking.

• Ingredients: East Coast staples like Old Bay seasoning, maple syrup, and cranberries work their way into Salmon Queen recipes.

• Home Cooking: For holidays and family events, GiGi will prepare classic East Coast seafood recipes she learned from her parents.

• Hometown Visits: She returns to Mystic and surrounding Connecticut destinations regularly to see family and relive memories.

No matter how long she rules her West Coast kingdom, GiGi stays true to the East Coast flavors and traditions that sparked her passion for seafood. She