ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm Spencer!

I'm the home cook and recipe developer behind The Kitchen Coalition. I'm also a husband to Stacy, dad to two boys, and proud to call the foothills of Western North Carolina home.

What started as a simple craving for Chicago pizza and buying a couple of deep-dish pizza pans has turned into a years-long passion for making great food from scratch.

I created The Kitchen Coalition to share that passion and help other home cooks make the kind of food that's worth gathering around the table for.

Around here, you'll find everything from homemade pizza (of course) and smash burgers to slow-simmered comfort food, fresh breads, homemade sauces, and better-than-takeout favorites. The recipes are developed and tested in my own kitchen, with practical techniques and clear instructions to help you make them in yours.

How It All Started

I grew up just outside of Chicago but have called the Carolinas home since 2005. And while I love living close to mountains, there was one thing I really missed about home: Chicago pizza.

Since I knew that finding the Chicago pizza I was craving was impossible, I decided to figure out how to make it myself. I bought my first pieces of specialty cooking equipment-a set of deep-dish pizza pans-and started experimenting.

That was when cooking really clicked for me.

I started discovering just how much went into making something as seemingly simple as pizza. The dough, the ingredients, the techniques, and all those little details that could completely change the finished product. I realized there was a whole lot more to cooking than simply following a recipe, and I wanted to understand it.

Barbecue was my next big obsession.

My brother, our friends, and I would get together around the smoker, experimenting with different techniques and making barbecue for everyone. It was a chance to try new things, learn from our mistakes, and spend time with people we cared about. And, of course, eat some pretty good food along the way.

Those experiences really shaped the way I cook today. I love digging into the details, figuring out why something works, and taking familiar foods and making them better from scratch. But just as importantly, I love sharing the results with the people around me.

In 2022, I started The Kitchen Coalition as a place to share that passion, document what I was learning, and help other home cooks make great food from scratch in their own kitchens.

What You'll Find at The Kitchen Coalition

At its heart, The Kitchen Coalition is about scratch-made comfort food for real kitchens.

I'm drawn to the foods people know and love-pizza, burgers, tacos, homemade breads, rich sauces, and all those familiar favorites that are even better when you make them yourself.

You'll find recipes across six main collections:

Making something from scratch doesn't always have to mean making it complicated. Some recipes are weekend projects worth taking your time on, while others are simple enough for an ordinary weeknight. What matters to me is making food that's flavorful, dependable, and absolutely worth the effort.

Tested, Tweaked, and Made from Scratch

One of my favorite parts of cooking is figuring out why something works.

Whether I'm adjusting the hydration of pizza dough, experimenting with cooking temperatures, or tweaking the balance of flavors in a homemade sauce, I enjoy working through the little details that can make a big difference.

That's the same approach I bring to the recipes I share here.

  • Developed and tested at home. Every recipe is developed and tested in my own kitchen, using real ingredients and equipment.
  • Clear, practical instructions. I focus on useful details, visual cues, and techniques you can put to work.
  • Reliable measurements. Especially for bread and dough recipes, where small differences can have a big impact.
  • Room for improvement. I'm always learning, and when additional testing or reader feedback reveals something worth changing, I'm happy to revisit a recipe.

The recipes on The Kitchen Coalition aren't generated by artificial intelligence. They're the result of actual cooking, experimenting, tasting, and sometimes going back to the drawing board.

My goal isn't just to help you make one good meal. It's to help you build the confidence and skills to make even better food the next time around.

Beyond the Kitchen

When I'm not working on a recipe, you'll usually find me spending time with my wife and our two boys exploring the mountains, fly fishing, or finding another home project to get wrapped up in.

My faith in Jesus Christ is foundational to who I am and shapes the way I think about family, hospitality, and how I care for the people around me.

For me, cooking has always been about more than what's on the plate. It's about slowing down, sharing a meal, and making time for the people who matter most.

And more than just making really good food, that's what I hope The Kitchen Coalition encourages you to do, too.

New Here? Start Cooking!

Not sure where to begin? Here are a few recipes that capture what The Kitchen Coalition is all about.

Or head over to the Recipe Index to explore everything else.

Pull Up a Chair!

Want more scratch-made recipes, practical cooking tips, and an occasional look at what's happening in my kitchen?

Subscribe to The Collective Table for the latest from The Kitchen Coalition.

Have a recipe question, suggestion, or just want to say hello? I'd love to hear from you.

Get in touch here.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you find something here worth making and sharing with the people around your table.