Anna Cowart has always loved to cook. She grew up cooking with her dad, Mark Ryan and through him, she learned how to blend ingredients for sauces, what foods work well together, and how to season and cook meats. Her “real” job is that of a speech therapist at Springhill Memorial Hospital by day and she is a chef by night, who offers customized menus and wine pairings for private dinner parties in clients' homes. 

It all started last Easter in Magnolia Springs when Anna decided she wanted to do something fun and fancy for her family. She created a cute menu, added a wine pairing for each course, and used her Mom’s fine dinnerware to make it special. She had a blast doing it, took some photos, and posted them on Instagram. She was a hit!

Soon she began receiving requests from others who wanted her to do a special dinner for a few friends, in their homes. She accepted a dinner engagement for twelve tennis ladies that were heading to a state tournament. With each dinner, she posts about it on Instagram and gets at least two more requests.

She first started her Instagram account, The Cowart’s Kitchen, because she loves to cook and wanted to have a place to display the recipes she creates. “I love all food,” she says. “I like to experiment, and I’m getting better at figuring out what works.” She loves Chinese food and her favorite dinner to cook is a Saucy Chinese Chicken with Coconut.

To become more knowledgeable in all aspects of wine service and food pairings, Anna has earned her Level 1 Sommelier. She is working on her Level II designation as we speak. She offers a personal shopping service for wine and keeps a set of extra stemware and dinner plates for her parties if needed by her host.

Response to Cowart Kitchen has been overwhelming. “It’s truly so rewarding to have a client ask, “Can you do something for me?” she says. “The menu for wine dinners is mostly upscale.” Anna uses her recipes and always includes a wine pairing. She does most of the work herself, with a little help from her husband, Michael, and develops the menu, researches wine, purchases the food, preps, cooks, and cleans up afterward. 

Anna offers 3-course, 4-course, and 5-course dinner options for groups. Cost varies depending on the menu. “Do you want lump crabmeat or watermelon?” She likes talking to the butchers at Fresh Market because they “are eager to help you learn about what works with what,” she says.

She is working on her website that will include the recipes she’s developed as well as information about wine, soups, salads and the services she offers. She told me she always does a practice run at home before every dinner party. Each event requires 10 to 12 hours of her time from planning and purchasing to cooking and cleaning up afterward. “I want to leave the kitchen as clean as I can get it.”

If this sounds like fun, and why wouldn’t it, give Anna a call at 251 490-1110, or email her at thecowartkitchen@gmail.com. You can check her out at The Cowart Kitchen on Instagram as well.