Hey There, I’m Sara!

Thanks for stopping by Sara’s Plate. This is where I share recipes that don’t just fill your stomach they fill your soul with a little bit of kitchen magic.

How It All Started

Picture this: a kid perched on the edge of the couch, completely transfixed by Jamie Oliver on TV. That was me. While my friends were outside playing, I was inside watching Jamie toss ingredients together like it was the easiest, most fun thing in the world. Something about the way he cooked so effortless, so joyful just clicked with me.

I’d rush to the kitchen during commercial breaks, pull out whatever random ingredients we had, and try to recreate what I’d just seen. Most of the time it was a disaster (sorry, Mom), but every once in a while, something actually worked. And when it did? Pure magic.

That childhood obsession never went away. It just got deeper. Late nights in high school meant experimenting with new flavor combinations. Stressful days meant kneading dough until my hands ached. Food became my language, my therapy, my way of making sense of the world.

The Plot Twist

Fast forward to last spring. I graduated from Cuyahoga Community College with an Associate of Arts in Hospitality Management, diploma in hand, ready to take on the world. Except… the world had other plans. Six months went by. No job offers. Just a whole lot of waiting and wondering what I was supposed to do next.

But here’s the thing about being stuck, it forces you to get creative. I started teaching cooking classes out of my tiny kitchen to make ends meet. Just a few friends at first, then friends of friends, then complete strangers who’d heard through the grapevine that “some girl in the neighborhood” could teach you how to make restaurant-quality pasta at home.

Those classes changed everything. Watching people light up when they nailed a technique, hearing them say “I actually made this myself,” seeing them take photos of their dishes with this proud, almost disbelieving look on their faces, that’s when I realized what I was supposed to be doing.

Enter Sara’s Plate

So I built this. A corner of the internet where I could share what I’ve learned, not just from culinary school or cooking classes, but from years of trial and error, burnt dinners, and those perfect moments when everything comes together just right.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• Recipes that actually work (I test everything multiple times because I’ve been burned—literally—by recipes that don’t)
• Real talk about cooking (the good, the messy, the “why won’t this sauce thicken?!” moments)
• Techniques that make you feel like a chef, even if you’re just starting out
• Food that brings people together, sparks conversations, and creates memories

What I Believe

Cooking isn’t about following rules or getting everything perfect. It’s about experimenting, tasting, adjusting, and making something your own. It’s about the smell of onions caramelizing, the satisfaction of a perfectly seared steak, the joy of watching someone take their first bite of something you made.

I’m not here to give you complicated recipes with 47 ingredients and techniques that require a culinary degree. I’m here to show you that good food is accessible, achievable, and honestly? A lot more fun than you might think.

Whether you’re cooking to impress, cooking to de-stress, or cooking because the fridge is full and you need to use stuff before it goes bad—there’s something here for you.

Let’s Make Something Good

Sara’s Plate isn’t just my blog, it’s our community. A place where mistakes are part of the process, questions are always welcome, and there’s no such thing as a “dumb” cooking question.

So grab whatever’s in your fridge, turn on some music, and let’s cook. I promise it’ll be worth it.

See you in the kitchen,
Sara