K’Syrah in Solvang has new chef and new offerings
Across Santa Barbara County, restaurants and caterers are looking for unique ways to bring new offerings to the public, creating specialized to-go menus, selling grocery items and adding other features as they attempt to serve the local community and outlast the coronavirus pandemic.
Now locals have another option, this one offered by one of the Santa Ynez Valley’s finest catering and event venues, K’Syrah.
K’Syrah Catering & Events, a downtown Solvang venue specializing in tailor-made events featuring farm-to-table cuisine and aesthetics, has been offering Family Meals To-Go inspired by their Santa Ynez farm and land farmed by K’Syrah on Roblar Farm’s Santa Ynez property.
Each week, the venue, located at 478 4th Place, has offered a number of delicious meals meant to serve either two or four people.
“I am excited to be joining the team at K’Syrah, where we utilize the bountiful provisions this area has to offer,” said Cullen Campbell, the new chef de cuisine at K’Syrah Catering & Events in Solvang.
K’Syrah’s menu is showcasing farm-fresh produce and K’Syrah’s chef-inflected, seasonal items, including beef tenderloin stroganoff, roasted pork belly with braised cabbage and fennel, and a smoked tri-tip dinner with grilled farm vegetables.
Today, locals can order gnocchi with smoked pork sugo served with farmer salad and spring garlic baguette. On Friday, K’Syrah is offering home fried chicken with macaroni and cheese, watermelon farmer salad, chow chow and gravy served with pickles, Sol.
If that’s not enough to get your mouth watering, hold out till the weekend when you can order the BBQ Box. The box is filled with smoked prime rib and pork tenderloin with grilled farm vegetables, braised garden greens, cheesy pinquito beans, and spoon bread served with Hawaiian Rolls.
The meals can be ordered for pick up at the venue, which is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. They can be pre-ordered for pick-up with at least two hours advance notice through K’Syrah’s website, www.kscateringandevents.com, or by calling 805-245-9564.
The meals range from $55 to $60, while meals for two can be ordered for $28 or $30.
Not content with just offering to-go meals, K’Syrah also created a daily, on-site farm stand.
The farm stand features produce and ingredients locally-grown just miles away from the Solvang venue, all tended to by K’Syrah’s owners, chef and team.
At the stand you’ll find items like house-baked biscuits, ready-to-bake breads, fresh, seasonal soups, house-made pimento cheese and a signature, Santa Maria-style hummus.
Patrons can also purchase pre-packed farm boxes and additional gourmet goods and produce from the K’Syrah farm and neighboring farms.
The catering and event company, led by Executive Chef and owner Demitri Loizides, is also celebrating its fourth year in the Santa Ynez Valley with the addition of new Chef de Cuisine Cullen Campbell. He comes to Santa Ynez from Phoenix, where he was the award-winning chef and owner of Crudo restaurant.
Mr. Campbell also owns Okra Cookhouse & Cocktails, has cooked for the prestigious James Beard House in New York, and was named Chef of the Year by the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame.
With a penchant for raw cuisine and a passion for fresh ingredients, Mr. Campbell is known for his creative takes on everything from sushi to authentic, Southern-style eats, all with an Italian twist.
Mr. Campbell utilizes only the best local produce to deliver a truly unique-to-place experience, and fell in love with rural Santa Barbara wine country for just that reason. In 2019, he made connections with the area during a stage at Presqu’ile Winery and has hosted many Santa Barbara County winemaker dinners at his Arizona restaurants.
“I am excited to be joining the team at K’Syrah, where we utilize the bountiful provisions this area has to offer,” said Mr. Campbell.
K’Syrah also caters off-site events, and can provide a mobile, full-service, self-contained, professional kitchen that can be set in nearly any environment.
K’Syrah is also set to announce plans and details for the transformation of the Solvang venue into a new restaurant concept with new menus in the coming months.
email: cwhittle@newspress.com
FYI
K’Syrah Catering & Events has temporarily suspended its meals-to-go and farm stand while it focuses on reopenings. Normally, it’s open 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays for pickup service at 478 4th Place, Solvang.
For more information, call K’Syrah at 805-245-9564 or go to kscateringandevents.com.
