A few weeks ago I was introduced to the marvelous Marlene Bernstein. She is the chef and owner behind Savour this Kitchen, an umbrella brand for the catering company / line of original sauces and spice blends she runs with her brother Michael. As someone who keeps her fridge fully stocked with sauces, spices, and condiments of all varieties at all times, I was immediately all over Ms. Bernstein’s blends. Needless to say, I was stoked when she agreed to sit down for an interview with Toast Meets Jam.

When asked where she’d like us to do the interview, she easily came up with The Springs LA, a newish downtown hotspot that boasts itself as an “urban oasis of wellness”. To put it simply this place is absolute amaze-balls. Part organic juice bar, part yoga center, part local for morning rave parties, The Springs has everything this girl could possibly want in life all rolled into one.

Over our interview, Marlene guided me through the journey that brought about Savour this Kitchen and it’s evolution over the past few years. She also shed light on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, her advice for aspiring foodies, and what she does to keep the STK train driving forward. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Toast Meets Jam interview if we didn’t have some fun along the way so you’ll also get to find out what makes Marlene, Marlene, from her favorite Halloween costume to her hidden talent.

More About Marlene

Marlene is the chef behind Savour this Kithcen. She is trained in classical French cuisine but her cooking is inspired greatly by er Mediterranean roots. When she’s not making her rounds at the LA farmers’ markets or hosting a fantastic fete, you can find her catching a dance class, exploring downtown, or writing recipes for popular blogs like LaurenConrad.com.

What is Savour this Kitchen?

Launched in the summer of 2011, Savour This Kitchen began as Savour This Moment, a California fresh catering company dedicated to using wholesome flavors and natural ingredients. After receiving rave reviews for the unique sauces in their dishes, brother and sister entrepreneurial super team, Michael + Marlene, decided to sell these sauces as stand alone products.

Savour This Sauce came to fruition at the beginning of 2013 and featured their three signature sauces: Red Pepper Romesco, Thai Chile Cilantro, and Pistachio Mint Pesto. With humble beginnings at the La Canada Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles, people flocked to the new vegan, gluten free brand.

Thanks to love and support from the community, coupled with early success at the Farmer’s Market, Savour This Sauce found a smooth transition into retail outlets. Nearly a year and a half into the sauce line, the budding company decided to expand beyond sauces and develop a line of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern inspired spice blends: Gypsy, Merchant, Nomad and Seafarer. In order to establish a marketplace for these unique seasonings (and more that are being developed) that make cooking more approachable, fun and delicious, Michael & Marlene created the umbrella brand Savour This Kitchen for their various product lines. (cite: Savour this Kitchen)

Check out Savour this Kitchen at:

Web: www.savourthiskitchen.com

Instagram: @savourthiskitchen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savourthiskitchen

A Toast to you and Marlene too,

Jen