Welcome to K.O. Pairings! My name is Kyle, and I have a passion for flavor. I love understanding how and why flavors pair together. So I figured the best way to discover new taste combinations was to have fun experimenting with food and drink ingredients and documenting my results on this site. I’ll share what worked (and maybe what didn’t) with food and drink pairings and talk about why I brought the two together. Enjoy!
I’ve always loved food and cooking, it brings me comfort. From the smells to the sounds and, of course, the flavors; I love it all! Plus, I’ve found sharing my food and drinks with people makes everything richer – what better way to meet someone than to “break bread” with them?
My passion for food started at a young age, growing up in Rhode Island with great local small farms and wonderful seafood. In college in New York, my eyes were opened to just how a drink could complement a food item during a Food and Wine pairing class. I loved picking apart flavors, and my background in Biochemistry only furthered my passion for research. Since then, I’ve worked at a winery in Virginia where I paired the wine with food and then moved west to create flavors and recipes for a high-alcohol kombucha company based out of San Diego. I’m now working in the natural food market enjoying a whole new world of flavors, as well as pursuing my sommelier certification.
Traveling has added to my love of exploring flavors and ingredients. I’ve lived and traveled throughout the United States and abroad, savoring new flavors, techniques, and combinations. My favorite thing is to understand why ingredients work together or why an ingredient or element makes a dish or drink pop. I want to have fun trying out new ways to pair ingredients, foods, and drinks.
Recently, I’ve embraced more gluten-free recipes and enjoy remaking old favorites to fit a gluten-free lifestyle.
I’d love to hear about your favorite pairings or suggest partners for a specific food, beverage, or occasion. Keep an eye on my new creations by following KO Pairings on instagram.