About Us
Who We Are
Crafting Culinary Experiences That Bring People Together
Sage Culinary was created from a love of global cuisine and a desire to bring people together through food.
What began as a way to connect during uncertain times has grown into a boutique culinary experience company rooted in personalization, hospitality, and thoughtful design.
At Sage Culinary, we believe cooking is more than a skill—it’s an experience. It’s creativity, confidence, culture, and connection all rolled into one delicious moment. Our mission is to make the culinary world accessible, enjoyable, and inspiring for every person who steps into our kitchen.
Linda’s Story
Once upon a time there was a little girl who received her first cookbook at age 4. She started cooking dinners for her family by age 8 and began creating her own recipes by age 10. That close and personal relationship with home cooking was enhanced with formal courses at Kendrick College, Culinary Institute of America and California Culinary Institute, in addition to “consuming” the hundreds of cookbooks in her collection.
When that little girl grew up, she studied and researched food anthropology, but went in other career directions after a few years. As a “recovering attorney,” she returned to her food roots in 2003 when she began writing a weekly food column for a local paper and then a book, Food for Thought, which focused on the history and trivia of food. In 2006, she opened a cooking school and kitchen store which she sold to relocate to the UNESCO Capital of Gastronomy, Tucson, Arizona.
Now (much) longer in the tooth, Linda Wyner is a cooking teacher, private chef, writer and lecturer with a focus on piquing the interests and expanding the skills of the home cook. Her philosophy? Food isn’t just nourishment. There are stories behind each of the dishes we create that are as interesting as they are fun to prepare and delicious to eat. Food is a pathway toward understanding people, their history, culture, economy, politics and more.
Sarah’s Story
Once there was another little girl who liked to pretend she was making meals in front of an audience on her own cooking show. As a teen, she would bring recipes with her when she babysat (mashed potato volcanos and disappearing marshmallow treats were among her favorites). After joining Pans on Fire, her interest in cooking, baking, and teaching flourished and she started designing programs for teaching classes to both kids and adults as well as establishing the store’s custom Bakeshop.
Over the years, Sarah Silva has expanded her knowledge and skills at the Culinary Institute of America (Napa), and Le Cordon Bleu and Ritz Escoffier schools in Paris, as well as learning from friends, books, and a great deal of experimenting.
She finds working with kids very rewarding. She not only teaches them how to make delicious and nutritious food, but how food is a vehicle to learn math, science, history, confidence, and social skills. And she loves sharing her baking obsession with adults, where she is particularly skilled in the art of wearing (not just measuring) flour.
Now living in Tucson, Arizona Sarah is excited to offer cooking and baking classes and to share her love of food.
Once upon a time there was a store
Sage Culinary owes its origins and ethos to Pans on Fire, a kitchen store and cooking school Linda founded in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the course of 15 years before it was sold in 2020, Pans on Fire served thousands of customers, developed thousands of recipes and spread the word far and wide that cooking is more than a necessity, it’s a passion and noble way of life.

And now there is Sage Culinary
Southern Arizona Gourmet Experiences dba Sage Culinary has some big shoes to fill. Come, be part of the next chapter of our culinary journey.
Do you have any questions?
Ready to Cook, Create, and Celebrate?
Join Sage Culinary for classes, private dinners, and memorable food experiences in Southern Arizona.
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