Chef Sara DeLaronde
I was born in the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. At age 15, my family packed up and moved to Bellingham. What a culture shock! I am very grateful they made the decision to move our family to the great PNW. I met my husband and 25 years later we are still together. We have an amazing son who’s 7 and 3 four-legged fur babies.
I have worked in the food/restaurant industry for over 20 years. I have served, bartended and managed. In fact there isn’t much I haven’t done in the service industry. Serving people and making them have an amazing experience has always brought me joy. I learned a lot of very valuable tools working in the service industry.
In 2010 I broke my leg. I reflected on my career. What was next? It was time to learn a new craft. COOKING! I have always loved to experiment with new flavors and cuisines. Culinary school was the next logical step. I attended Le Cordon Bleu and graduated top of my class. When I was asked why I wanted to cook and what direction I wanted to take my new career I would say, “I want to make the world happy through food”. I always knew I wanted to be a caterer. I love the hustle and bustle of making big events happen; presenting small details that can make all the difference for a party. I went to work for a private catering company that did high end food for private aircraft. From there I moved onto one of Washington’s most exclusive catering companies, Lisa Dupar. When I left there I decided to jump into the corporate catering world. I started at Amazon, then Microsoft, Boeing, and finally REI.
Highlights from Sara's Menus
- Roast Chicken with Wild Rice & Grilled Artichoke topped with Caramelized Red Onion & Grape Tomato Salsa
- Gluten-Free Asian Stir Fry with Brown Rice
- Tofu Skewers with Mixed Veggies & Konjac Noodles
- Dijon-Maple Glazed Salmon with Baby Red Potatoes & Zesty Asparagus
- Cod Tacos with Cassava Tortillas, Latin Slaw & Spicy Fruit Salsa
More about Sara
When did you first get interested in cooking?
When I was about 7. I did a bit of fending for myself when I was younger. I learned mac n cheese early. I think the first time I made sunny side up eggs I was 5… I loved when my mom would cook. It wasn’t very often that she did. When she did it was always so yummy and comforting.
What type of foods do you most enjoy making? And eating?
BBQ! Anything that can be put on the grill — I’m in! It is such a great way to layer flavors and GO BIG!
Who has been your biggest culinary inspiration or muse?
Honestly, Food Network. I was laid up for about 6 months with a broken leg and watched all of these cool chefs on TV. I figured, why not me?
What do you love most about your job?
Making people happy! Being able to introduce new styles and flavors to people!
If you were not a chef, what would be your dream occupation?
I have had a lot of jobs in my life and for me there is nothing else!
Fun fact about you:
I’ve cooked for President Obama, U2, and The Sounders… There’s more but I don’t want to sound “braggy”.
Favorite Quote:
"You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together"
