Hello Bend!
As a busy, working mom in the middle of a global pandemic, I have tried ALL of the meal subscription kits in an attempt to make dinner time easier, more nutritious, and honestly just a little more hassle free! After frustrations with the big name brands (think SO much wasteful packaging, no expiration dates, and mushy items) I turned to local private chef and in-home dining connoisseur L for Lavender as she is quickly becoming my family’s local favorite.
L for Lavender
Sarah, the master foodie behind the brand, is a local personal chef offering services to all of the greater Deschutes County areas. Her goal with this business is to create an unforgettable in-home dining experience while bringing healthy AND delicious meals to the people of Central Oregon.
It all Started With an Ad
L for Lavender began in 2016 after Sarah moved to Bend from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She worked in several kitchens and restaurants building knowledge and experience and fine-tuning her passion for cooking before deciding she wanted a change of pace. One day she decided to place an ad on craigslist saying “let me come to your house and cook for you and your friends!”. Sarah recalls that the most wonderful couple reached out and hired her to cook dinner for them for an 80th birthday. After that evening, Sarah knew that this was her calling and wanted to turn it into a career. Next thing she knew, she was booked out for months and able to quit her job in the restaurant industry to become a full-time private chef! In the words of Sarah, “I haven’t looked back since!”
When asked about L for Lavender, Sarah says, “I love this business because it evolves as I do. When I first started out I wasn’t sure what crowd I should even appeal to. Was I a caterer? A private chef for a set group of families? A dinner party guru? None of those seemed quite right. But also, none of them were wrong. I knew I had talent, high standards for the food I put into my body, and a lot of determination and I had a specific experience that I want to share with people. I found that I enjoyed doing in home dinner parties the most but I also wanted to offer food to the community in another way. I have honed in on the idea that I am a chef offering an experience. The experience of a dinner party, the experience of trying new flavors, the experience of having delicious, healthy, exciting dinners with premium ingredients delivered to your door. They are different, but they all provide an opportunity for people to sit around a table and enjoy a meal together. That is what I want to create. For L for Lavender it’s not about the convenience of not having to go to the store or do dishes or doing families meal prep for them. I just want to help people create a space to slow down, sit down, and break bread together.”
Sarah stresses that the quality of ingredients in food is just as important to her as flavor and presentation. L for Lavender represents quality over quantity and she commits to maintaining that belief in all her cooking.
Behind the Brand
Sarah comes from a long line of women who are incredible artists of food and flavor. Mix that in with cajun blood and a dash of perseverance, and she knew her path was going to be different. Her mom is also a huge motivating factor behind her business. Sarah has built up L for Lavender to be her creative outlet that makes her feel alive and true to herself. I can testify that you can taste that through all of her incredible flavors.
The Food
Although L for Lavender just took an incredible pivot from weekly meal offerings to more of a private chef service, there is no reason to fret, their values and quality of service/food will always stay the same. L for Lavender will still have meal offerings but they may just look a little different. Instead of having meals roll out weekly on the dot, their focus has turned to a more limited weekly schedule, with private parties and catering being a main focus. Sarah is excited to refocus her creativity–she and her new employee plan to grab beautiful cuts of meat, fresh vegetables , and other local ingredients etc. as they see them, cook something delicious and amazing and share with the community. For the MOST up to date offerings, follow her on instagram for updates. The website will still be operating as normal and will be still be the space to place your orders.
Local, Small Business, Female Owned and Run.
Current Food Offerings:
Superbowl Sunday: DEADLINE TO ORDER: Saturday, 2/6 @ 10:00am
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Miso Mustard Hot Wings
- Sunflower and Black Garlic Hummus
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Vegan Chili
Order through her website!
Valentine’s Day: DEADLINE TO ORDER: Friday 2/12 @ 10:00
**Stay tuned! This menu will be released on her instagram this weekend!**
Dinner Parties:
Being the owner and head chef means Sarah is always adding little extras to the dinner party options. Between seasonal menus that change every year, crowd favorites that always make it over to the next year, and custom orders, L for Lavender dinner parties are truly unparallelled. Sarah uses all organic ingredients and sources locally grown meat and produce. The dinner party service includes Sarah showing up to the home or rental, preparing the meal and serving it family style (platters and serving bowls are provided if needed). This year Sarah has introduced a new add-on service to have a server to set the table, pour wine, clear dishes and wash all the dinnerware after the meal.
Interested in more from Hello Bend? Read more about our adventures HERE, SUBSCRIBE to the Hello Bend Blog, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the know in Central Oregon.
Brenda Menzel, Broker
Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty ~ Hello Bend Real Estate
541-640-2125
