Food Savvy

Sarah Kurysz has been in the kitchen since she was a child, where she gained a love of the culinary arts from her mother. Her career as a chef has taken her from mom and pop bakeries in Boston to being the culinary events coordinator for Whole Foods Markets Midwest region. Family brought her and her husband to the Richmond area in 2016. Whether it's a meal for friends and family around a fire pit or a five-course dinner for hundreds, Sarah brings the same passion and attention to every dish she creates.

Stop and taste the roses: Rose butter is butter, but better

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | May 25, 2022

Let’s talk about butter. If you are a butter lover such as myself and you have never had homemade butter, your culinary horizons are about to broaden. Making butter...

Sweet, tart and upside-down: Citrusy-caramel flavor is top billing in this fruity cake

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | May 11, 2022

Most of you have heard of pineapple upside-down cake, but upside-down cakes are a fantastic way to showcase nearly any fruit. The combination of butter, sugar and fruits in the...

Just roll with it: Lamb lumpia rolls pack all the flavor of gyro in a dippable snack

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | April 13, 2022

Food trends are some of the most fun trends to watch. In the ’50s and ’60s, the trend was to make everything possible in gelatin, and usually with hotdogs. About...

Spring chicken: Discover the light, lemony pleasure of avgolemono

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | March 23, 2022

Spring is a fantastic time to be in the kitchen. The promise of seasonal produce brings a renewed sense of creativity to my cooking. The changing weather (especially here in...

From Japan, with flavor: Exploring the robust, salty magic of miso toast

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | March 9, 2022

Recipes are created in a variety of ways. There are generational favorites, passed down from kitchen to kitchen with well-worn hands teaching eager young ones the tricks of the trade....

Bringing back the bacon: A good old-fashioned candied bacon cocktail

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | February 16, 2022

Some recipes stick around and resurface because they are just that good. Candied bacon is one such recipe, and it is here for round two as the finishing touch on...

Smoked salmon flatbread brings your favorite brunch flavors to the dinner table

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | February 2, 2022

We all have foods we’ve avoided since childhood. Whether it’s a texture, a flavor or a dreaded weeknight dinner that was overserved to you growing up, these are ingredients that...

No-risk bisque: On cold days, this creamy vegetable soup hits the spot every time

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | January 12, 2022

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us, it’s time to settle in for the quieter part of the year. It’s cold outside, some of us are hoping...

Forget sugar plums: Poached pears make this panna cotta tart the stuff of holiday dreams

FOOD SAVVY WITH SARAH KURYSZ | December 22, 2021

The holiday season inspires us to add some sparkle to our dinner table: superfluous flair only added for enhanced merriment. If you’re anything like me, your holiday baking goals far...

Sage advice: Enjoy the humble comfort of pumpkin gnocchi with sage and Parmesan

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | December 8, 2021

Pasta will always have a special place in my collection of nostalgic comfort foods. Robust tomato sauce, decadent creamy cheese, lemon zest and spice or fragrant herbs, whatever your flavor...

Fennel for fall: Bring some flair to your Thanksgiving spread with this fennel and fig gratin

FOOD SAVVY WITH SARAH KURYSZ | November 24, 2021

After the last two years I am overwhelmingly excited to gather with friends and family this Thanksgiving. Even small get-togethers promising the faintest twinkle of holiday festivity are bringing joy...

Pork, peanuts and plantains – oh my

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | November 3, 2021

If there’s one cut of meat that inspires maximum creativity in the kitchen, it just might be pork tenderloin. Tender and flavorful, with a form that lends itself to beautiful...

Aubergine dreams: Embrace the eggplant with hearty white bean caponata

FOOD SAVVY WITH SARAH KURYSZ | October 20, 2021

If you’re ever aiming to throw a delicious curve ball into your meal planning repertoire, I suggest looking to local favorites from across the globe for inspiration. Sometimes a little...

Celebrate fall good things with dark chocolate butterscotch pie

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | October 13, 2021

The hint of autumn in the air always stimulates the senses and calls to mind the many flavors of fall. And what’s more autumnal than pie, with its buttery brown...

Make steak salad sing with honey chipotle vinaigrette

Food Savvy with Sarah Kurysz | October 6, 2021

The craze of copycat recipes is not a new one. I would hazard to guess that as soon as the first half-decent restaurant was established, some dazzled patron ran home...