One Spoon, Big Change Hello Reader, It's Yukari! Today I’m thinking about the tiniest tool in the kitchen... a spoon, and how one taste can change everything you cook and share. It’s the thread that ties generosity to good food, the first nudge toward real hospitality. (Stick around for Aric’s chef tip at the end! 👨🏻🍳) But first… come with me to the kitchen where “Taste this” became the lesson I didn’t know I needed. “Taste This” Remember the Chawanmushi incident? That’s how I met Terumi, the...
24 days ago • 3 min read
A Whisper That Changed My Cooking. Plus Our $100 Grocery Challenge. Hello Reader, It's Yukari! Today, I want to rediscover what happened when Aric and I did $100 Grocery Challenge back in January 2025. (Remember? 🤣) Aric and I had fun doing it, and we learned some lessons along the way. I saved many things Aric talked about cooking during the time, and I can't wait to share his wisdom, too. But first... let me take you back to the kitchen that woke me up, kicked me out of bed, and taught me...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
How Bento Making Burned Me Out (And What I Do Now Instead) Hello Reader, It's Yukari! Today, I want to show you how we do “batch cooking," inspired by our Mix & Match Meal Planner. It’s easy, flexible, and packed with flavor. 🥳But first... let me take you back to the kitchen that started it all. Cooking? That's for Adults...Right? A little after my grandma passed away, my mom was admitted to the hospital for testing. Suddenly, all the things I thought were for grown-ups, like cooking, landed...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
I Didn’t Grow Up Cooking, But Look What We’re Building Now! Hello Reader, It's Yukari! You helped shape the feel of The Kitchen Table, and we’re so excited to show you what’s next. 🧡But before we dig in... a quick story time! My mom didn’t teach me to cook. Actually… she didn’t cook much at all. I never learned how to sew, cook, or garden from my mom, and for that, I’m forever grateful to Aric’s mom, who generously shared many of those skills with me. My mom was strictly a working mom. She...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Too Hot to Cook? Try This Cool Dinner Prep Trick! Hello Reader, It's Yukari! We’re deep into grilling season here, and when it’s hot? We skip full meal prep and go for easy food prep instead. ☀️🍴But before we dig in... a quick (re)introduction! 👋 Quick Re-Intro (In Case You’re New Here!) Hi, I'm Yukari!A self-taught, forever student and home cook living with a professionally trained chef (my husband, Aric!). Before we started U & I Personal Chef Services here in Colorado, I spent over nine...
3 months ago • 2 min read
You Helped Name it… Now Help Us Shape It! 🍳 Hello Reader,It's Yukari! We're officially setting the table, and YOU get first dibs. Since pausing the blog, things have heated up behind the scenes (and not just because Ka-En, our fiery kitten sous-chef, nearly tripped us weaving figure-8s between our feet! (True story! 🤣). The Kitchen Table with Aric & Yukari is officially here! It's all about easy, smart, simple cooking, cultural flavors with stories, and a community at the heart. And here's...
3 months ago • 2 min read
A new space for smarter, simpler, more joyful cooking, with YOU at the center. Hello Reader,It's Yukari! The blog is taking a pause… but YOU just helped start something even better! We're pressing pause on the blog for a little while. But not because we're stepping away. In fact, it's the opposite. Something new is simmering… and YOU helped name it! In our last email, I asked what we should name this newsletter, and you voted! 🎉 (Thank YOU!🙏) So here it is, officially...(drum roll please!)...
4 months ago • 2 min read
What Our Sous Chef Kitten, Ka-En the Firecracker, Taught me on his "Gotcha Day." Hello Reader,It's Yukari! Oh, how I wish I could have sent this email sooner. I feel like I haven't connected with you for a long time, but I sprained my ankle in a fluke accident, and everything had to have a little setback. Aghh! Now I'm back to somewhat normal (still limping a bit, but I can move! Yay!), so let me pick up where it left off! We celebrated a special milestone a few weeks ago—our sweet Sous Chef...
5 months ago • 2 min read
Our Secret House Blend (And How to Make It!) Hello Reader, So, you start a recipe, reach for the cornstarch… and realize it no longer exists? 😩Or dig through three open hot sauce bottles and a suspicious bag of “something” to find one spice? Yep—been there. 😂 But what if I told you that a clean, organized pantry can make cooking joyful again, not stressful? 🌿 In our latest blog post, we’re sharing our complete Spring Pantry Reset System, which we use every year to bring calm, clarity, and...
5 months ago • 1 min read