Chef Brandon Schatko

Born and raised in Detroit, MI, I discovered my love of cooking in the kitchen alongside my Grandma. Though my career has taken me many places, from working in fine dining Italian restaurants, to opening an oyster bar & multiple breweries, to starting my own private catering business, my goal right now is to deepen my connection with the land, our nonhuman companions, and the people who are behind making a great meal. I believe that the stories and place behind the food is what makes a meal delicious and meaningful. I’m exploring how all of these coalesce in my own private catering business Soul Fire Kitchen, and being in relationship with a local community farm whose ethos is to grow and make delicious food for anyone at no cost. Through rediscovering the powerful practices of gift giving and neighboring I’m seeking to redefine my relationship to food and cooking, and recenter in myself and my community how giving and receiving food can be a powerful act of love in a starving and challenging world.