An Interview with Kelly Grunewald of The Zesty Pursuit
+ Living Room Social: Brunch & Books details
A Note From The Editor
Food offers comfort. Regardless of who prepared it, each meal is an act of service, hospitality, and love. The best cooks understand this deeply, making their dedication and craft truly unique.
What I love about my conversation with Kelly is that it’s not just about cooking. We delved into the psychology of the craft and explored what it means to have a genuine love and passion for creating something special.
I have such amazing experiences with my mom in the kitchen and [going] out to meals and talking about food. And I've realized too, in my friendships, relationships, I tend to surround myself with people who love food as much as I do.
… food also just helps you live.
For Kelly, her love of food is a reflection of her mother's love. Growing up, she experienced firsthand how cooking can be a profound expression of affection. As you read on, take a moment to reflect on which methods you express your love—for others, and most importantly yourself.
Living Room Social: Brunch & Books
Before we get into the interview, I want to speak a little bit about the event we’re cohosting on June 23rd.
Brunch & Books is a cozy brunch in a SoHo loft accompanied by a DJ spinning vinyl records and attendees sharing art books. Our brunch spread will be prepared by the lovely Kelly Grunewald and Nikki Chamberlain.
Here’s what you can expect:
Kelly Grunewald and Nikki Chamberlain are NYC-based food creators who specialize in crafting vibrant dishes using the freshest and most in-season ingredients.
Their thoughtfully curated menu features savory quiche with garden-fresh herbs, decadent French toast topped with fresh mascarpone whipped cream and candied kumquats, a refreshing citrus arugula salad, buttery heirloom tomato galettes, and more.
Reservations are open for you and your friends, and you can book seats at the link below:
And now for the interview:
On developing her passion for food
Kelly Grunewald's journey into the culinary world is deeply rooted in her upbringing and family influences. Growing up in the D.C. area and spending time in California before settling in New York, Kelly has always been surrounded by creativity and opportunity.
LA: What was your start in food?
KG: Growing up, my mom was always experimenting in the kitchen. She loved food and was always making us something different and unique for dinner or just experimenting with new recipes. She loved to make cakes and bake. Eventually, she went to cooking school while I was in middle school and then started her own catering business. Being around my mom as she was doing this catering, I feel like I was absorbing so much of what she was doing. I was getting excited by her excitement and seeing her so passionate about food and taste-testing everything.
I think my love of food really comes from that experience growing up and being in the kitchen with my mom, learning all of these tricks, creating meals, and seeing people excited about what we had created. That just got me hooked on all of it. In high school and even now, I’ve always had a passion for photography as well. I love the aspect of plating a meal and taking photos of it. I started this account to capture the meals I was making, practice my photography, and have this creative outlet.
It definitely started out as a hobby and still is, but I’m hoping to potentially expand that, start doing more official dinners, and use it as a way to connect with different creators in New York.
LA: What do you think it is about food that unlocks a sense of passion for you? I see food as an important aspect of hospitality and being in service to others. There’s a quote out there by some chef that making food for someone is the ultimate act of love. What do you think that means for you?
KG: Well, I love what you said because I think cooking is my love language to others. It's the way I show them I love them, but I also love when someone cooks for me. I think I love that love language for myself as well.
You can really tell when someone has put their heart and soul into a meal and the full dining experience. That often comes through when you're out to dinner and experiencing a meal where you can feel the passion. It feels unique and exciting, and the food may even tell a story of someone's culture, background, or lived experience. That's really unique.
There's also something about creating the full setting of this experience for a guest. I think the setting is a crucial aspect of hospitality and dining. Pairing that with amazing food is essential.
I remember the experiences and meals I've had where the food was amazing, but also the setting was either unique, beautiful, or cozy, making me feel at home in a restaurant. When a meal appeals to all the senses, it really hits home for me. Those are the meals I tend to enjoy the most.
My goal is to create meals that allow people to sit around a table, enjoy conversations with others, and appreciate the meal and overall setting, making it something memorable for them.
LA: You spoke a bit about your experience watching your mother growing to love cooking, and how it impacted your passion for it as well. Is there a time you can reflect on fondly, or even a story you could tell?
KG: What initially comes to mind isn't a specific story but more of a general memory. I think about my kitchen at home and my mom and me working in unison to create a beautiful meal.
A lot of times, we get inspiration from other restaurants or people. We'll go to a restaurant, get excited over the meal, and then discuss what could possibly be in it. We talk about the spices, the different flavors, and how they complement each other. We go into the details, and then we go home and spend hours trying to recreate it perfectly.
Those meals always become our go-tos and favorites, even when we recreate them in our own way.
On the craft of cooking
LA: Where do you feel you’re at in your journey of developing the craft of cooking? I feel like there are various levels to any craft, so I’m really curious where you think you are currently.
KG: I'm really creative in the kitchen. I tend not to follow recipes directly. I know what I want and what flavors I want when I make something. I might have made it before, but I'm often just winging it, throwing in different spices that I think could be good. Most of the time, it turns out well, but sometimes it definitely doesn't.
I think I need to hone in on really understanding the basics and techniques of cooking. I should force myself to follow some recipes, especially more complicated ones, and push myself to learn more. There's always room for improvement.
I want to expand my palette and the types of food I'm able to cook, rather than just sticking to what I know.
LA: Yeah, so from what I'm hearing, it's like you've gotten to a place where you can remix, right? You don't have to follow the step-by-step directions and ingredients. You've reached a point where you know enough to say, 'Actually, this might be missing that. I should add this. What if I try that?' because it brings a new element to the dish and enhances it.
KG: Yep, definitely.
On cooking as her love language
LA: Actually, to go back to your story with your mom—I feel like, and not to get too psychological here, I feel like that's exactly why cooking is your love language. You're engaging in this very creative activity with someone you look up to and admire. It's not just about the sharing of food; it's about the act of creating food. And you're kind of sharing that love of your mother with everybody that you cook for and like who cooks for you.
KG: Yeah, I love that. It’s funny though because I have such amazing experiences with my mom in the kitchen and just out to meals, talking about food. I've realized, too, that in my friendships and relationships, I tend to surround myself with people who love food as much as I do.
There are people who don't, and that's totally okay. Food also just helps you live. But personally, I feel like I surround myself with people who want to sit down at a meal and talk about the ingredients, discuss what flavors are in it, and really focus on what they're eating and enjoying.
It's interesting because this has seeped into every aspect of my life now.
LA: Yeah, it sounds like you’re replicating your mother's love through food. For you, food is a primary source of connection. So, if someone wants to be in your life, they should probably love food too.
KG: Definitely. I also think it ties into the hospitality aspect. I remember my mom hosting family friends, and we had incredible conversations around the dinner table. A meal fosters community and connection with others. When I create a meal for people, I want it to be around a table where they are having amazing conversations and connecting with one another, creating a memorable experience, as I mentioned earlier.
On our upcoming Brunch & Books event
LA: Speaking of memorable experiences, I think that's a great segue to start talking about the upcoming brunch menu. So, what's on the menu?
KG: Yes! I'm working with Nikki Chamberlain, who owns a cake business in New York. She's also a food creator, and her help will be amazing. Together, we will create a savory quiche, incorporating a lot of garden-fresh herbs and other fresh ingredients.
We're also making French toast, topped with mascarpone whipped cream and candied kumquats to play with the flavors and make it unique and beautiful. Additionally, we'll prepare heirloom tomato galettes to celebrate tomato season at the start of summer.
My go-to dish, a delicious arugula salad with a citrus vinaigrette, will also be on the menu. We'll top it with fresh fruit, potentially some cheese, and other fun ingredients to make it bright and beautiful.
We'll be going to the farmer's market that day to get all the ingredients fresh. So, a lot of the menu details depend on what we see at the market—microgreens, flowers, and other fresh ingredients. We aim to incorporate those colors and fresh elements into the menu to make it memorable and special for everyone.
I hope you enjoyed this interview, and I truly hope to see you June 23rd at our first ever Living Room Social event!