Today we’d like to introduce you to Liza Saracini. She shared her story with us below:
Meet Liza Saracini – a passionate culinary and wellness teacher who has made it her mission to foster a sustainable, community-oriented, and delightful approach to cooking. Liza has been teaching private in-home cooking classes, events, and workshops since 2018 through her culinary business, Florabelle Food and Festivities. Named after her great-grandmother, Flora Bernita, Florabelle is a nod to the longevity of cooking traditions and wisdom that is passed down from generation to generation in the form of recipes and remedies. Liza’s food philosophy is deeply rooted in her love for nature and diverse cultures. She believes in celebrating food and its ability to nourish the mind, body, and spirit.
What sets Florabelle’s culinary events apart is the highly personalized experience Liza creates for her guests. Her class offerings are diverse, ranging from Italian to Indian, Hispanic, Mediterranean, Israeli, French, and Asian cuisine. Whether hosted in a private home, event space, or immersive outdoor setting, each class is a unique opportunity to learn from Liza’s expertise.
Liza’s love for cooking began at a young age when she would create recipes with her siblings and cousins in grade and high school, eventually starting a Sunday night dinner group in college. But her real journey to becoming a culinary instructor began when she completed a 3-month course in 2016 at the Culinary Center of Kansas City which mimicked the curriculum of the first year of culinary school. During her training, she mastered foundational skills like knife handling, prepping meat and fish, making mother sauces, and using different heat techniques. She fell in love with kitchen life and volunteered as a class assistant on a monthly basis for two years, working with chefs from around the world. She also pursued education outside the classroom by immersing herself in local food culture while traveling internationally across Europe, Asia, Central America, and South Africa. She discovered her passion for teaching and hosting after hosting a “Make Your Own Ravioli” night for her 26th birthday and has continued sharing her culinary knowledge ever since.
Liza’s passion for cooking evolved into her life’s mission when she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2021, a debilitating disease which impacts the gut and manifests with a variety of symptoms including poor digestion and chronic fatigue. In early 2023, her battle with UC came to a head when she had a life-saving emergency surgery to remove her large intestine. After two more surgeries performed that year, Liza was officially in remission from her autoimmune disease!
Through this challenging diagnosis, Liza has become an advocate for people with chronic illnesses. Her experience with Western Medicine, Ayurveda, Acupuncture, Yoga, and Functional Medicine has shaped her perspective on how to heal from the inside out. She believes connection to food, community, and nature is essential for maintaining a healthy microbiome and regulated nervous system.
Liza’s recipes emphasize the importance of nourishing the body with wholesome ingredients and functional herbs. She values using the high-quality organic, seasonal ingredients, and supporting regenerative agriculture whenever possible. She understands the social isolation and stress that dietary restrictions can have on people struggling with digestive health, so she happily accommodates dietary preferences such as gluten-free, dairy-free, and Vegan to make each class as inclusive as possible.
Liza strives to serve her local community by getting involved with nonprofits and organizations that align to Florabelle’s mission to create community-driven culinary experiences that are accessible and nourishing. In 2022, she created an after school program at the Venice High School where she volunteered on a weekly basis. Over the semester, Liza held classes in the garden of the high school where students were taught to make healthy and sustainable recipes from ingredients growing in abundance in the California-based gardens. She also has partnered with organizations in her hometown, such as Kanbe’s Markets, to address food insecurity in Kansas City.
Liza’s inspiring journey is a testament to the power of resilience, passion, and community building. Through Florabelle, Liza continues fostering a love for food by teaching adults and children the art of cooking and how it benefits mental and physical health.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the most profound lessons I have learned from my culinary business is the importance of taking pride in what I bring to the table in an industry that is saturated with incredible talent and infinite information. I am constantly exploring new concepts and menus to enhance Florabelle’s offerings. Hosting “test classes” where I enlist the help of my friends and reward their efforts with a home-cooked meal has been an integral part of this process. I used to feel uneasy about my lack of formal culinary education, however, I have discovered that my untraditional background and self-mastery empowers my students to be more confident in their ability to learn new cooking techniques. By approaching cooking in a laid-back way, I encourage students to embrace their creativity, learn from their mistakes, and enjoy the satisfaction of cooking a delicious and wholesome meal.
One invaluable lesson I continuously learn on my journey with Florabelle is the significance of aligning the business with my personal values, particularly sustainability. Following my diagnosis and relocation from Chicago to LA in 2021, I realized that the way I had been operating Florabelle was unsustainable. In response, I simplified my processes to decrease the time it took to execute classes and only served food that made me feel good. I began teaching out of my home in Venice, rather than traveling to people’s houses. I also decided to focus on three distinct classes with set menus—Sushi, Dumplings, and Israeli— all of which were gluten and dairy-free. Prioritizing my health has become paramount and I strive for Florabelle to be a source of vitality rather than something that drains my energy.
In 2022, I had the privilege of interviewing three chefs whom I greatly admired for their emphasis on sustainable business practices. Their individual journeys served as reminders that formal training is not the only prerequisite for culinary excellence. I learned that what truly sets remarkable chefs apart is a passion for lifelong learning, the ability to work collaboratively, a penchant for creative thinking, and a deep respect for the origins of ingredients. Each challenge I have faced with Florabelle has resulted in a new perspective about how I can serve the community I am part of.
We’ve been impressed with Florabelle Food & Festivities, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Florabelle Food & Festivities is a culinary events business that teaches private in-home cooking classes to 6 to 20 guests, ages 10 years old and up. Florabelle classes are a unique way to celebrate birthdays, holidays, engagements, corporate events, baby showers, and family reunions.
Each Florabelle class can be customized to the party’s preferences for hands-on cooking. We offer Italian, Asian, French, Indian, Israeli, and Mediterranean menus. Florabelle ingredients are primarily seasonal, organic, and local whenever possible. We make the process seamless for the host by providing all specialty equipment, setting up the class workstations, teaching and guiding students, and cleaning up once the party has concluded. We also offer a variety of options for guests with special dietary needs, we will always make sure each guest is comfortable with the menu and able to fully participate. Florabelle is committed to sustainability by sourcing from reputable vendors, using ingredients “root-to-stem,” and composting excessive food scraps.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Anything Ayurvedic! I have learned so much about herbalism, spices, and eating seasonally from the study of Ayurveda.
I love cookbooks such as “Kosmic Kitchen”, “The Gut Guide” by The Beauty Chef, “Food: What the Heck Should I Cook” by Mark Hyman, “Zahav” by Mike Solomonov, “The Palomar” cookbook by Layo Paskin and Tomer Amedi, Salty Seattle’s cookbook (rainbow pasta), Micheal Smith’s Farina cookbook, and many more.
The Doctor’s Pharmacy podcast by Dr. Hyman, The Healing Catalyst Podcast, Heal Thy Self Podcast, The Ten Percent Happier Podcast
Pricing:
- $90-$120 per adult class
- $40-$50 dollars per child class
Contact Info:
- Website: www.florabellefood.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/florabelle_food
