My story for this week’s Go! section, which prints in the morning, is about Kira Ottaway, a young pastry chef and Derby native who is mixing up decadent creations at both Luca Italian Kitchen and GreenAcres Market.
I became aware of her when her mom called to note that I’d left out mention of the desserts in my review of Luca. I immediately decided to write about Kira, not only because Wichita has so few female chefs but also because she has one of my dream jobs. Making dessert for a living? Every day? What could be better??
When I went to talk to Kira, it was the morning of Valentine’s Day. She was busy in the Luca kitchen coating brownies in beautiful chocolate ganache. I had to dance around as I watched to avoid the frantic cooks trying to prepare sauces and breads for the busy dining day. Chef Gianluca Sciagata was in the back wielding a huge knife. I love seeing behind the scenes at a restaurant, and the Valentine’s Day vibe was particularly fascinating.
Kira was earnest and sweet and very sincere. I hope you enjoy reading about her as much as I enjoyed writing about her.