Hi! I’m Diana Kloepfer. I am the visionary behind Kitch A Vibe, and the story of how this all came to be is a long one! I will do my best to give you the Cliff Notes of my journey.  I grew up on Long Island, and spent almost every Sunday of my childhood at Grandma Rocky’s for Sunday Supper. Rocky’s kitchen was the most comforting and inviting atmosphere that held space for happy times, sad times, Christmas Eve dinners, graduation parties, engagement announcements, baby showers, and everything in between. I learned a lot from watching her cook and I was always inspired by the joy it brought her to feed the ones she loved. She was always willing to let me help and that is where I began to experience my own joy in creating edible art.  

 

Grandma Rocky is the reason I went to a culinary trade school. I had studied Fine Arts in college for 3.5 years and was feeling lost as graduation approached because I didn’t know how I would turn an Art Degree into a career path. I just wanted to create and work somewhere where each day was a new challenge and a classroom for learning more. She cut out the Ad from the paper for the local trade school and said “it’s only 9 months long, you can do it.” That is when the path became clear and from that moment on, I was on a mission to turn my passion and joy into a career.

 

I went through the culinary ringer for 14 years. I worked my way through all types of kitchens so that I could learn what worked, what didn’t, and where I felt happiest. I was always happiest when I had creative freedom and when I was given managerial roles with more say in the functionality of a kitchen and menu creation.  I started a side hustle for private catering, events, and artisan cakes in 2021. That is where The Aquarian Culinarian was born and how I started to gain a following of my own. The community began to know me and my art and the support was abundant and ever growing. I knew I was on the path to my own place. I didn’t know exactly what that place was going to be or look like until I walked into 16 Exchange St. to meet with the landlord and previous tenants about taking over. This place is special, I felt welcomed and inspired as soon as I walked in looking at it as a place to open up shop. It all felt right, and I jumped in with both feet. I saw it as an opportunity to create an environment that complimented my approach to my craft. I show my love through food, and to be able to curate a space that evokes the same emotion has been my favorite passion project to date.