Spotlight On: Eastside Eats

News StaffOctober 24, 2025

773 2 minutes read

Spotlight On: Eastside Eats

If anyone has seen me around town, I am usually at Dwayne’s looking at toys with my kids… or eating. I love to eat and am not much of a cook (I have a few specialties that I’m sure my kids are sick of). So, I started thinking, what are some options in the valley that aren’t restaurants? This led me to something very special, and you’ll find more about it below.

As part of our ongoing series, we are interviewing people of interest in the area who are having a positive impact on our community.

This time, we reached out to Sally Symons of Eastside Eats Personal Chef Service!

What first inspired you to start cooking for others after becoming an empty nester?

I have always loved cooking, and very much missed cooking for a houseful, because feeding people is my love language. I also have always had a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit, and very much wanted to work for myself without the hassle of a storefront, employees, etc. So, I found an online class, learned how to structure the business, and jumped in with my first clients in June of 2023.

How do you come up with your weekly meal selections for clients?

I love trying new recipes and cruising different sources for new ideas. I would much rather cook food than eat it, and I love to experiment and try new recipes, foods, and techniques. I have a lot of standards that have become customer favorites, but I try to offer something new and interesting each week.

What are some of the most common dietary needs you cook for, and how do you adapt recipes to meet them?

I have cooked for a lot of different households with different dietary needs. Most common is gluten-free, which luckily is one of the easiest to adapt to with all the modern options available. I also cook for dairy-free folks, diabetics, and a few cardiac/heart-healthy people as well. For the last 2 years, I have cooked for a group for a department Christmas party that had vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free folks, egg allergies, nut allergies, and dairy issues. It’s a fun challenge that has so far resulted in some very creative and delicious menus.

Who or what has influenced your cooking style the most?

I learned how to cook from my mom and my grandmother. The summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college I was required to menu plan, shop, and cook for my family while I was home to prepare me for living on my own. That’s where my love/obsession of menu planning, recipe trials, and meal prepping was born. As I raised my family, gathering around the dinner table each night was very important, and I did my best to have that gathering centered on tasty, nutritious, and comforting food.

What’s been the most rewarding part of running your personal chef business so far?

There are so many parts of this little business that I love. But the most rewarding is probably when a client tries something new, or something they thought they didn’t like, and I get that message saying how much they loved it, and how surprised they were about how tasty it was. Good, nutritious food does not need to be boring! Also, cooking for small special occasions (baby/bridal showers, intimate weddings, corporate luncheons or celebrations, private dinner parties, holiday celebrations, etc.) is so fun because I get to design a totally custom menu and bring unique and delicious food to the event.