Pittsburgh-area chef takes young foodies on culinary adventures
WEXFORD, Pa. (KDKA) — From her kitchen in Wexford, Sofya Stearns takes young foodies on culinary adventures around the world.
The chef is the face and force behind Izabella's Gourmet Chow, which offers cooking classes in the kitchen, virtually and in local school districts. She exposes students and families to not only the tastes but also the languages, music, culture, and history of places across the globe.
When KDKA-TV was there, she engaged a group of youngsters as they whipped up dishes traditional in the Middle East. She often donates a portion of the proceeds from the classes to non-profit organizations that help people in countries that are in crisis.
For for most recent event, 100 percent of the proceeds went to a charity organization that supports children in Israel.
"When the war in Ukraine broke out, I did the exact same thing and actually all the proceeds went to the kids in Ukraine," said Stearns. "In addition, we wrote letters. All the kids wrote letters to the kids (in Israel) their age."
"I want kids growing to be more empathetic. Some kids live in a bubble, and there's so much more out there," Stearns said.
One of the students, Brynn Balmert, said the experience goes far beyond just learning cooking skills. She's proud of the outreach, too.
"It's nice to do it. It makes your heart happy," Balmert said.
