Welcome!

I’m Kateryna

Food blogger & cookbook author

Welcome to My Kitchen – And My Little Corner of the World!

Hi, friend! First of all – I’m so happy and grateful that you’re here. 💛 If you’ve stumbled upon this blog, chances are we already have something in common: a love for good food, beautiful flavors, and the joy of sharing meals with the people we love. So, let’s get to know each other better!

Meet the Blogger Behind the Bites

Hi, I’m Kateryna! Grab a plate – you’re going to want a taste of everything.

I grew up in Ukraine, and long before I ever thought about food blogging, I was the kid sneaking cookbooks out of the library alongside my fairy tales, trying to talk my way into the kitchen to make cookies or chicken soup. That curiosity never really left me. These days it just looks like torn burrata, garlicky marinated olives, and a slice of toast dressed up enough to feel like an occasion.

Kateryna’s Cafe is where I share the food I actually make – elevated appetizers, toasts, crostini, and salads that look like they wandered off a wine bar menu but come together in your own kitchen, usually in under an hour. I’m not interested in complicated for the sake of complicated. I want you to open your fridge, see what’s there, and feel like something a little special is within reach on a random day.

I’m the author of the cookbook Toast and Beyond, and my Ukrainian roots sneak into almost everything I make, even when a dish reads as Italian or Mediterranean on paper – you’ll catch it in how I marinate, how I layer flavor, how I never met a good pickle I didn’t like. I still grow my own herbs, and I’m still the person hovering a little too long at the olive bar deciding which one earns a spot on the plate.

I share all of this with a community of home cooks across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and honestly, I never quite get over the fact that so many of you trust a recipe enough to make it your own kitchen table. I’m based in the Toledo, Ohio area, and every recipe, photo, and slightly too-long ingredient note on this site comes straight from my own kitchen.

So welcome. Pull up a chair, tear into something delicious, and let’s make your day feel a little more like a wine bar. 🙂