Hi I’m Sirena.
I am an ordinary mum who lives in a beautiful country called New Zealand. I grew up in South Korea until I was 5, then moved to NZ and got married to a Singaporean. So my cooking and baking reflect exactly that, its multicultural, Asian fusion, showcases the places I have traveled to, and most importantly shows things I learned from my mum.
How did Open the Pantry start?
Open the Pantry was created during New Zealand’s nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Where I thought I wanted to lift people’s spirits by sharing my love for food!
My inspiration
My mum is the original domestic goddess. Growing up my sister and I were always spoilt with delicious home cooking and thought being food-oriented was the norm. I am not professionally trained but naturally, I soaked in all of her great kitchen wisdom which she also inherited from her mum too.
My autobiography
Food, cooking, and baking have always been an outlet for me where I can unwind, be creative, be aesthetic, and heal during tough times in my life. My ultimate happy place is my kitchen and I am guilty of spending hours in front of my pantry thinking about what I can create and eat.
I like to call Open the Pantry my food autobiography because my inspirations and recipes continuously change as it molds to the flow of my life. I want to create a friendly and supportive environment where like-minded “foodies” can share our love for food. I hope to inspire people to try my recipes from items within their pantry and to demonstrate how everyday foodies can produce high quality aesthetically pleasing foods at home too.
