The Knife behind the chef

The Knife behind the chef

Meet Chef Sarah Sanders

Meet Chef Sarah Sanders

At New West KnifeWorks, we consider it a privilege to have our knives in the hands of culinary professionals who best know how to use them. Pros develop an intimate relationship with their tools—feeling the balance, trusting the edge, and relying on that knife through thousands of hours at the cutting board.

Chef Sarah Sanders is one of those chefs. A private chef, mentor, and artist at heart, she approaches food with the same creativity and attention to detail that first drew her to the world of visual storytelling. We sat down with Sarah to talk about her journey, her philosophy of hospitality, and the role great tools play in great cooking. You can tag-along Chef Sarah’s culinary adventures on Instagram.

Do you remember your first experience with New West KnifeWorks?

Sarah Sanders:
 Yes. I visited the Napa Valley shop in St. Helena, and the entire team was so hospitable. It didn’t feel like walking into a store—it felt like walking into someone’s home. That was the first thing that struck me.

And the knives speak for themselves. They’re gorgeous, of course, but the functionality is what really stands out. As a professional chef, the way you hold a knife means everything. It becomes part of your arm. With these knives, the handling feels effortless.

Honestly, I don’t want to use anything else now.

Watch on Instagram

How did your journey into cooking begin?

Sarah:
I grew up in Glendora, California, and cooking was always happening in our house. My grandmother and my mom were the cooks—no measurements, just traditional home cooking.

But the biggest thing I learned wasn’t about recipes. It was that people come first, then the food. That mindset still guides how I cook for clients today.

What are some of your favorite dishes to cook or eat?

Sarah:
Chefs actually eat pretty simply most of the time. But there are certain dishes that are really nostalgic for me.

My grandmother was from Iran, and she used to make a yogurt-based herb soup with legumes and lots of fresh greens. Whenever I make it now, the smell fills the house and it instantly reminds me of her kitchen. My grandmother is no longer with us, so making that soup is a way of keeping that connection alive.

Food has this incredible ability to bring memories back.

I also love making manta, which are Eastern European dumplings. They’re comforting and perfect for sharing.

You originally studied animation. How did that influence your cooking?

Sarah:
I’m a very visual person. I studied art and animation, so storytelling and visual detail were always part of my life.

Eventually I realized food could be another creative medium. When I build grazing tables or design dinner parties, I’m thinking about color, texture, height, and composition—almost like creating an installation. Food can absolutely be art.

What does your work as a private chef look like?

Sarah:
 It ranges from weekly meal prep to large dinner parties. One of my favorite things is building menus with clients. Some people love being involved in that process—talking through dishes and planning what they’re excited to eat during the week.

There are restaurants you can go out to, of course. But there’s something really special about coming home and looking forward to what’s waiting in your own kitchen.

We have a lot of fans in Southern California. How do you connect with folks looking for a private chef?

Sarah:
People usually send me a DM on Instagram. It’s very word of mouth. 

You also mentor young cooks with Careers Through Culinary Arts Program. What draws you to that?

Sarah:
 CCAP is an incredible nonprofit that supports high school culinary students in Los Angeles. I mentor and judge competitions with them.

Those students are amazing. Their minds are like sponges. And honestly, if I’ve learned something, I don’t want to keep it to myself—I want to pass it on.

Watch on Instagram

Tell us about knife skills for aspiring chefs.

Sarah:
Knife skills are really the foundation of everything. Once you understand how to handle a knife properly—how it feels in your hand, how it moves through ingredients—it changes your entire experience in the kitchen.

For professional chefs, a knife becomes an extension of your arm. The way you hold it, the way it balances—it all matters.

You’ve also built a following through cooking videos online. How did that start?

Sarah:
Very slowly! I started posting food photos around 2020. It definitely wasn’t an overnight thing.

Eventually I moved into video, and one of my signature things became this little apron flip transition. It actually started by accident while filming, but people loved it.

Content creation is fun for me because it combines everything I enjoy—food, storytelling, and editing.

That’s why having a good knife makes such a difference.

You’ve faced some serious challenges recently as well.

Sarah:
 Yes. My family lost our home in the California fires last year. Everything was gone—my kitchen, photos, things I’d had since childhood.

But the chef community here is incredible.  A group of us chefs often come together and host supper club dinners—sometimes pop-ups, sometimes private events. During the fires last year, that same group came together and we cooked thousands of meals for firefighters and first responders. Moments like that really show the power of the chef community.

Serving others during that time really helped us get through it. 

What continues to inspire you in the kitchen?

Sarah:
 Hospitality, first and foremost.

I grew up in a home where everything revolved around gathering people together. My grandmother and my mom cooked constantly, but the focus was always on the people around the table.

That’s something I’ve carried into my work. Whether I’m cooking for a family, hosting friends, or mentoring students, the goal is the same: bring people together and take care of them.

People first. Then the food.

Follow Sarah on Instagram

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