Hi, I’m Yukari! My husband, Aric, a talented chef, and I are on a mission to bring people together through the magic of cooking. We want to build a virtual cooking community where we share budget-friendly meal prep tips, host fun challenges, and teach classes beyond recipes—we tell stories of love, life, and even the lessons we learn from our fur babies. Yes, our Bernese Mountain Dog, Senna, the Dish Pit Pup, and our Ginger cat, Ka-En, the Sous Chef Kitten, are part of the journey too! We believe food is more than just fuel—it’s about connection, culture, and creativity. If you enjoy heartwarming stories, engaging Q&As, and cooking made simple, we’d love to have you in our community.🔪🍲 Join us to cook, laugh, and share the love—one meal at a time.
This One Lesson Changed How I Cook Forever 👩🍳⏲️
Salt, Hands, and a Japanese Potato SaladHello Reader, It's Yukari! Salt and your hands can change everything you cook. But first, I want to take you back to a little Japanese kitchen, where I learned the real magic of cooking… “The Potato Salad That Changed My Perspective” One evening, she made classic Japanese potato salad. I kept asking for more, and she’d laugh, But Terumi's lessons and our conversations were always like this. "How much mayo do you add?" "Oh, I don't know, until it all mixes well." Her recipe only made sense if you watched her. Everything was in her head, learned by doing. Every time I visited her, I'd ask, "I made the potato salad, but it wasn't like yours. What did I do wrong?" Those potato salad talks were more than cooking. Who showed you how to cook? Did the person have recipes written down, or was the person more like my friend, Terumi? ⏲️ The First Dinner of $100 Grocery ChallengeWe challenged ourselves to prepare delicious meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) for the week with a budget of just $100 in groceries. Our first dinner? A celebration meal of fresh-roasted chicken thighs from the whole chicken, chilled green beans, and pan-roasted potatoes. 🍽️ 📹 "Roasted Chicken with Chilled Green Beans, Pan Roasted Potatoes, and Chicken Au Jus"Watch the whining Senna in the video at the end, it's adorable and hilarious! 🤣 🐶 👨🏻🍳 Chef's Tip from Aric (1-minute win): Ditch the shaker. Use a salt dish.A pinch from a small dish gives you control you’ll never get from a shaker. 📲 New on Instagram: “Tasting Spoon” Reel!It’s officially soup season 🍂 and Aric’s chef tip will level up your taste game. 👉 Follow us on our new Instagram @AricAndYukari
⏲️ PS: Our Weekly Custom Meal Prep Service is FULL!We can't thank you enough for being such loyal clients, for your support, and for your friendship! 🎄 P.P.S. We are now closed for private dinner parties for the rest of the year!Thank you so much for trusting our work and welcoming us to your special day! 🙏 But we'd LOVE to chat with you if you'd like to reserve us for your special day in 2026!
Thanks again for building this with us. With flavor, love, and stainless steel tongs in one hand, |
Yukari Bianchi
Hi, I’m Yukari! My husband, Aric, a talented chef, and I are on a mission to bring people together through the magic of cooking. We want to build a virtual cooking community where we share budget-friendly meal prep tips, host fun challenges, and teach classes beyond recipes—we tell stories of love, life, and even the lessons we learn from our fur babies. Yes, our Bernese Mountain Dog, Senna, the Dish Pit Pup, and our Ginger cat, Ka-En, the Sous Chef Kitten, are part of the journey too! We believe food is more than just fuel—it’s about connection, culture, and creativity. If you enjoy heartwarming stories, engaging Q&As, and cooking made simple, we’d love to have you in our community.🔪🍲 Join us to cook, laugh, and share the love—one meal at a time.
🦃 The Turkey That Taught Me a New Way to Cook Hello Reader, It's Yukari! How was your Halloween? 🎃 Did you go to any parties or dress up this year? Or are you looking forward to El Día de los Muertos? 👻 Whichever it is, I hope you’re soaking in the beauty of fall and a little extra sweetness this week. 🍭 🍂 Aric's Mom, Marge, and My First American Thanksgiving When I first moved to the States, I shied away from cooking. The imperial system (what’s with cups and ounces and quarts? 😵💫) totally...
🛒 Why I Avoided Cooking After Moving to the U.S. Hello Reader,, It's Yukari! If you’ve been following our last couple of emails, you’ve met Terumi, the woman who showed me that cooking could be joyful, imperfect, and full of heart. 🧡 When Aric and I got married, Terumi brought over some of my favorite dishes, including that unforgettable potato salad, and filled our kitchen with love. 🛒 American Grocery Store (and My New Struggle 😫) After I moved to the U.S., we stayed in touch the...
🦐 Back from New Orleans and Full of Flavor (and Ideas!) Hello Reader, It's Yukari! We just got back from our anniversary trip to New Orleans, and wow, our hearts (and bellies) are still full. 💛 This isn’t our usual Saturday Kitchen Table newsletter. It's just a quick hello to share some tasty highlights from the trip, and a little sneak peek at what’s cooking next... 🎷New Orleans: Creole Cuisine, Culture & Community Honestly? I wasn’t sure I’d love New Orleans. My first impression was that it...