Perks
Forest & Flour is offering perks to investors.You earn the most valuable perk available based on your total investment amount in this business. You will not also receive the perks of lesser value, unless specified below.
Workshop with Forest & Flour
Invest $1,000 or more to qualify.
20 of 20 remaining
A life spent learning is a life well lived!
So we are giving you class passes to 3 workshops to say thank you for investing in us. Come learn how to bake and cook nourishing, delicious, and allergen-free food!
(Can be used as gifts. No expiration date.)
Exclusive Dinner Event
Invest $1,500 or more to qualify.
10 of 10 remaining
Bring your friends and have a delicious allergen friendly dinner!
Custom menu crafted just for you.
(Group size is capped at 15 people. We do not serve alcoholic beverages. BYOB encouraged.)
Coffee + Pastry
Invest $1,750 or more to qualify.
15 of 15 remaining
Yep, that's right. Delicious locally roasted organic pour-over coffee + gluten-free dairy-free goodness for 3 years!
(Non-transferable. Limit to one coffee and one pastry per day.)
Bi-Monthly Forest Box
Invest $3,000 or more to qualify.
5 of 5 remaining
A 5 year supply of curated gluten-free and dairy-free treats to satisfy your deepest gastronomy curiosity.
Every two months a special box is reserved with your name on it.
(Non transferable. Delivery and shipping fees are not included. Pick up is available.)
Management Team / Advisory Board Bios
Sway Soturi
Born and raised in Taiwan, Sway grew up in a one-parent “home.” As a result, she often moved from relatives to relatives because her working mother was, well, working. It is fair to say that she had to take up cooking to ensure a full belly at the end of the day. The one person that influenced the most in her cooking is her aunt, who was her primary caretaker for many years. Aunty would make delicious whole fish, brothy chicken soups, and simple healthy veggies for this (then) young swimmer.
It wasn’t after Sway moved to NYC did she realize how small her view on the world of food was. She indulged in pizza, oysters, falafels, and much much more. It was then she decided that it’s in the kitchen where she wanted to learn and work.
In 2009 Sway became a mom and a mission was created - to raise a young man who understands the importance of eating healthy for his body and exercise to condition the mind to explore this wondrous world. Along this path, she became a certified personal trainer, a nutrition coach, and a yoga teacher. Sway continues to hone her skills in the hopes to contribute to her community.
So how the heck did Soturi Kitchen happen? Around 2012, unusual health conditions prompted her to experiment with a diet that is gluten and dairy free. Today, Sway is happy to share her creations with you and wishes that you will also benefit from these small offerings.
Damian Mark
Forged from the stars, Damian was delivered to a world that didn't deserve him from Valhalla in 1976.
Immediately recognized as a force to be reckoned with, Damian excelled at everything put before him. Sports, science, and arts. Damian had everything (except friends) in this world. His earth parents, Patty and David valued the ideals of hard work and free spirits. They lived on a remote farm and taught Damian the importance of self sustenance and the relationship between congestions to the earth and our food. Traveling taught a love of culture and interests in all art forms around the world. Exciting cuisines and different flavors showed young Damian that there is more to this world than the food you see in front of you, and that it too, can be exciting and different, even with the same ingredients.
Damian's love for food was always present and after everything, that became his chosen profession. After his first kitchen job he decided that he wanted to know more, he wanted to know it all. First he enrolled in the culinary arts program at Florida Culinary Institute and finished both the culinary arts and the international baking and pastry program. Damian then moved to Gainesville and got a job as the sous chef at the University of Florida Hotel under Ivy Award winner Michael McBride. Influenced heavily by Charlie Trotter, he moved Midwest and earned a coveted internship with Chef Trotter.
After some time working in and visiting some of the best restaurants around the globe, Damian spent the next few years working in hotel establishments. Eventually an opportunity landed him in Honolulu.
Once in Hawai'i, the life of outdoors took hold. He spent time to explore the island, running and biking returned as great fun activities. Unfortunately, his great memories of surfing in Florida were replaced with the harsh reality that he just wasn't very good at it, so hiking and swimming became the thing. Luckily he met a great (beginner) surfer and even better swimmer in Sway. Damian loved (loves) her passion for food and wanted her to share his passion for the outdoors. He shared his expertise in cooking techniques that she didn't have experience with and took her camping. Sway shared her passions with Damian as well, but sadly he still lacks even a basic understanding or concept of fashion and civility.
Damian has a strong desire to share his knowledge and skills. In Ratatouille they showed anyone can cook, but it still ended with an unrealistic image that cooking is an innate skill. Cooking is a skill that can be learned and taught. It is dinner with your family; it is an excitement for new or fresh produce; it is a skill to be passed on. And Damian's biggest passion is passing it on to as many people as he possibly can!
P.S. Damian is also the Chef de Cusine @ Puesto in Santa Clara. Please say hi sometime!
