Meet Syndy

Personal Chef • Cooking Teacher • Organic Gardener

Syndy Sweeney brings together traditional Italian and Italian-American cooking with curiosity, creativity and a deep interest in the cultural stories behind food. A vegetarian who cooks for everyone, she approaches food with an inclusive and practical perspective.

From vegetarian Italian cooking and thoughtful substitutions to cross-cultural recipes and family traditions, Syndy explores how Italian food can honor its roots while continuing to evolve in today's kitchen.

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SYNDY'S KITCHEN

Traditional & Italian-American Cooking • Italian Vegetarian Cooking • Culinary Traditions & Food Culture • Creative Substitutions • Cross-Cultural Cooking

Sindy’s cooking reflects both her Italian heritage and the experiences that have shaped her life in and outside Italy. She explores traditional and Italian-American dishes, vegetarian cooking, substitutions for different dietary needs, and the ways Italian food intersects with other cuisines and cultures. Just as important to her are the traditions and stories surrounding the food — the rituals, celebrations, ingredients, and family memories that give a dish its meaning.

WATCH SYNDY

Join Syndy in the kitchen for recipes, techniques, adaptations and stories connecting Italian food with tradition, culture and everyday cooking.

Syndy's Featured Video

This space will feature one of Syndy's original videos created for the Olio&Olive community — from recipes and cooking techniques to adaptations, traditions and the stories behind Italian food.

COMING SOON

RECIPES & GUIDES FROM SYNDY

Explore recipes, adaptations and food stories from Syndy, bringing together Italian traditions, Italian-American cooking and a curiosity about how food connects cultures.

  • Sgroppino: Venice's Lemon “Milkshake” for Adults!

    Frothy, lemony and refreshing, this Venetian after-dinner drink combines lemon sorbet, Prosecco and limoncello for what Syndy calls “a little release.”

    VIEW RECIPE 

  • Celebrating La Befana: An Italian Tradition

    From falò and panevin to vin brûlé and cantuccini, Syndy shares how she brings a tradition she discovered while living in Friuli into her own family's Epiphany celebration.

    COMING SOON 

  • Italian Cooking, Reimagined

    Discover Syndy's approach to vegetarian Italian cooking, thoughtful substitutions and creative adaptations that make Italian flavors work for different kitchens and ways of eating.

    COMING SOON 

SYNDY'S CREATOR PANTRY

A selection of Italian ingredients chosen by Syndy from the Olio&Olive pantry.

ABOUT SYNDY

Syndy Sweeney's connection to Italian food began early, cooking alongside her mother and learning an approach centered on seasonality, using what is available and affordable, and choosing quality over quantity.

Her cooking today brings together Italian and Italian-American traditions with curiosity about how food changes across families, regions and cultures. She is especially interested in vegetarian Italian cooking, thoughtful substitutions, cross-cultural connections and the history and traditions behind the dishes we eat.

Through T. Rex & the Rabbit Foods, Syndy shares food with a spirit of curiosity, creativity and the belief that understanding what we eat can bring people together.

Based in: Greenville, Michigan
Italian roots: Italian American
Specialties: Italian-American cooking, vegetarian Italian, adaptations, food traditions & culinary culture

VISIT T. REX & THE RABBIT