About

Welcome to Natasha’s Kitchen! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, and together with my husband, Vadim, we’ve been passionately developing and sharing tried-and-true recipes since 2009. Over the years, we have created a trusted recipe resource beloved by millions.

In 2023, I published my debut cookbook – Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook, which quickly became a New York Times Best-Seller for three consecutive weeks. The book is an extension of our blog with top-quality recipes you can trust.

I come from a family of fantastic cooks, and I’m here to share generations of recipes that are homey, fresh, healthy, family-friendly, authentic, and adventurous. Most importantly, our recipes are meticulously tested and guaranteed to be delicious and reliable.

Natasha holding a lasagna casserole

My Family and Heritage

My culinary journey is deeply rooted in my family’s story. My family came to the U.S. as refugees from Ukraine when I was 4 years old. They brought 5 tiny girls and had nothing but a stack of suitcases. They didn’t know the language, but they worked hard and achieved the American dream. Watch the TV News Segment about our incredible story. My parents’ resilience and passion for food inspire every recipe I create.

Natasha with family posing on steps next to a house
Natasha with her parents and 4 sisters (Natasha is the middle child)

Growing up, I was so shy that I thought no one would marry me until my husband came along and swept me off my feet (true story). Over 20 years ago, I married my wonderful husband, Vadim (who is also Ukrainian). We are blessed with two children. Every recipe that I develop is thoroughly tested and approved by each of us and is often critiqued by relatives and friends. We only post the recipes we love and make over and over.

We live in Idaho (famous for its potatoes), and we love the quieter pace of our beautiful state. We strive to walk in love and live our lives by the word of God and the life of Jesus.

Natasha and Vadim slicing vegetables in the kitchen

Professional Background

We’re so thankful to be full-time foodies and recipe developers. We’re living our dream because of you and I can’t thank you enough! My heritage and diverse professional background, including years in business and nursing, have uniquely equipped me to be the recipe developer, video creator, photographer, writer, and business owner that I am today. We set the bar high so you can expect great recipes and videos here.

The Resume

  • 2003-2007: I worked for 7 years as a business intern, which I consider my most valuable education. My boss and mentor taught me the importance of excellence in business and meticulous attention to detail, which has served me well.
  • 2007 Earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Business with a double major in human resource management
  • 2007-2012 – Worked as a Realtor for 4 years. Fun fact: it was during my realtor days that I learned about blogging (although blogging about real estate was undeniably more boring than food)
  • 2012 Earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and worked as a Registered Nurse in Telemetry. The courses I took in nutrition, as well as being in a caring profession, made for a natural transition into serving my audience with recipes and connections that nurture body and soul.
  • Blogging since 2009 – What started as a way to share my family’s recipes and culinary journey, has turned into a vibrant community of millions of home cooks.

To summarize all of the many hats I wear – I am a wife, mom, food blogger, cookbook author, recipe developer, video creator, photographer, writer, influencer, social media boss, and entrepreneur, and I love to sing in my church choir. If I were a sandwich, I’d be a Chicken Bacon Avocado on Focaccia.

Natasha with family serving food

How I Got Started Cooking

To be completely honest, I wasn’t always excited about cooking. When I got married in 2003, it became a necessity – “must eat to live” and Mom wasn’t doing the cooking anymore. We had a lot of frozen meals and ate-out too much in the first year of our marriage. I had a free summer (and decided I would improve my cooking skills so we could live and eat healthier.

I dove into cookbook after cookbook and plundered my mom’s recipe books. I was at the library all the time bringing home piles of cookbooks; I was hooked! I even read my mother’s cooking textbook from her college days (Mom completed her culinary program when we moved to the US). I had discovered the joy of cooking. Within a few months, my husband and I each lost weight just from cooking more at home. Now I can’t stop cooking and thinking about cooking and dreaming about cooking… I was born for this!

My recipe collection continues to grow. I love to try new recipes and will share my favorites with you (like our internet-famous Meatloaf and beloved Banana Bread Recipe). I hope you enjoy this blog and find recipes that will become your family favorites as well.

Natasha with mom and daughter making pierogi

Natasha’s Kitchen Today

I started this food and family blog in 2009 as a way to share favorite recipes and events with family and friends. It has grown much larger than I could have imagined with about 1,300 recipes and about 19 million hungry visitors per month. In 2024, we passed 3,500,000 subscribers on YouTube and our channel is growing fast. We’ve been featured on:

  • Forbes
  • Good Morning America
  • ABC News
  • New York Times
  • Associated Press
  • USA Today
  • And hundreds more (see Press page for more)

My goal with Natasha’s Kitchen is for you to really discover and fall in love with cooking and find many new favorite recipes your family will love. The ingredients we use are simple and easily accessible, not overly hoity-toity. My motto: if you can read (a well-written, tested, and trusted recipe), you can cook.

Most of the recipes I share come from my mom and mother-in-law, family, friends, and my own experience in the kitchen. I am so thankful to have such amazing people in my life who generously share their rich knowledge of cooking.

It Takes a Village! I’m so blessed to partner with an incredible group of specialists who share their talents to support Natasha’s Kitchen. Whether it’s social media, email marketing, content editing, or video editing, their expertise helps everything run smoothly so I can focus on creating delicious recipes and fun videos for you. I’m so grateful for their contributions and for YOU, our amazing readers, who make it all possible.

Natasha's family prepping food in the kitchen

Natasha’s Kitchen Recipes

It’s very important to me to share trusted recipes that are reliable and work well in every kitchen and for every cooking skill level. This is why I develop and perfect all of my recipes through careful research and several rounds of testing in my own Kitchen in Idaho (elevation about 2,600 feet).

Every recipe is tested and approved by my family, and often friends, relatives, and even neighbors. All of the photography is done by myself, and I’m the one showing up in our videos. My husband edits the photos and videos (and he’s the videographer, single-handedly running 3 cameras at once).

Get Featured: If you would like your recipe featured on this site, email it to me by clicking here.

Community Guidelines: I love how this food blog has grown into a supportive cooking community – your comments, questions, tips, and success stories make every recipe better. Review my Comment Policy, then join the conversation.

Disclaimer: Per my Nutrition Disclaimer, this blog includes only my own opinions and is not professional advice. It is not intended to be dietary advice or a diet plan. Please talk to your Doctor or nutritionist for medical or dietary advice. I am not liable if you eat too many Hamburgers.

Leave a Comment

Comments

  • Phyllis Meredith
    May 15, 2024

    I love love Natasha’s recipes!!! My grandchildren dearly love the chicken patties! It’s their favorite!! From all the websites of all recipes – I always find myself coming back to Natasha’s kitchen. Thank you for sharing !!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 15, 2024

      Awww, that means a lot to me. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • John
    May 14, 2024

    Hello
    My wife is from Belarus and has tried to make Kullich two times now from some other recipe and both times it didn’t cook all the way through. She is really discouraged but I just sent her your recipe and we are going to try it again.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 14, 2024

      In hope it becomes your new go to recipe!

      Reply

  • Linda
    May 14, 2024

    I just happened upon your site which is perfect timing as I have started cooking with my 13 year old grandson. Last year he made a beautiful cake for his Mothers
    Birthday. This year he wants to make a Carrot Cake for his dad and a Lasagne. I enjoyed your story!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 14, 2024

      Wow that is awesome! I hope you will all enjoy all the recipes that he will try for you all!

      Reply

  • Danielle
    May 8, 2024

    I love your cookbook. In the near future, my goal is to make and cook more items once I have more time. So far, what I have made is delicious. I look forward to your next cookbook. 😊

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 8, 2024

      That sounds like a great plan! I hope you will love all the recipes that you will try, Danielle.

      Reply

  • Aleshea Boals
    May 7, 2024

    Natasha,

    Thank you so much for sharing your story in your cookbook. I live here in Meridian and work with the Nampa Family Justice Center. Would you ever be willing to speak, share your story and a recipe with the children we serve? I think they would love to meet you in person. We plan on giving all our kids your cookbook this year at our Lifeskills Retreat.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 8, 2024

      Hi Aleshea! Thank you so much for reaching out. Please message your request on my contact form. Please include any details including the dates and times of the event. The contact form can also be found at the bottom of my blog page under ‘contact’. I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • Joanne Mauck
    May 6, 2024

    I have tried your recipes and every one of them were delicious

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 6, 2024

      Thank you, Joanne!

      Reply

  • Chelle
    May 2, 2024

    I don’t have a comment. I have a request. Natasha, will you please post some recipes for popcorn seasoning? The kind I like best was from T. Joe’s, and it’s discontinued. It would be great to have something I can make myself.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 2, 2024

      Thank for your suggestion. We’ll try to add that to our list!

      Reply

  • Dianne
    May 1, 2024

    Natasha,
    I would really like to buy an autographed copy of your cookbook. I know you were offering them when they first came out, but I had some medical issues that took more than a year, and I missed an opportunity. I will happily pay for shipping and any other costs associated. I make so many of your recipes and I would love to support you for future recipes!
    If you prefer to not print this on your web page, and I would totally understand, email me at DianneLPearson@yahoo.com. That is the email I have you send all your updates.
    Thank you for all you do!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 1, 2024

      Hi Dianne, thank you for your interest in purchasing my cookbook. Can you send me a message via our contact form regarding your question?

      Reply

  • Judy
    April 30, 2024

    Natasha….. I have been enjoying not only your recipes, but the fun uplifting way you present everything! I have referred to your web site quite often. So, I want to let you know someone is doing business under your name… you’ve probably already been alerted… but just in case you haven’t…. Please be aware…

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 30, 2024

      Hi Judy. Thank you so much. I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes. Unfortunately I have no control over fake accounts that they created. It happens quite often and the most I can do is report them as I see them in hopes that they will get taken down. Please help me by reporting them to Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube when you see them. You can tell my real account by looking for a “verified” check mark next to my name in my profile. I hope that helps. Thank you for your help with this.

      Reply

  • Dotti
    April 30, 2024

    Hi Natasha,
    I made your sponge cake recipe. It came out really nice. Can I freeze the cake for. few day. I was gong to make a fresh strawberry sponge cake with whipped cream. I was going to be my girlfriend’s birthday cake – going for lunch to celebrate. At the last minute she change our lunch date. Can I freeze this cake until next week ? I hate to make this cake again. I love your recipes. They are so much easier to use. Thank you Dotti

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 30, 2024

      Hi Dotti! I’m so glad you love the recipe. Yes, the sponge cake layers freeze well. Just let them cool and then wrap them well in plastic wrap or freeze them in an air tight container.
      You can thaw them at room temperature when you’re ready to use them to assemble the cake.

      Reply

  • Leslie
    April 28, 2024

    What happened to Natasha’s kitchen recipes. Now we get every one else’s. I love Natasha’s recipes and don’t want any one else’s. Please HELP

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 28, 2024

      Hi Leslie! I’m not sure what you mean. This is my website/blog with all of my recipes. On occasion I have posted a guest recipe, but majority of the recipes are mine. You can use the search bar at the top of the page to look up any recipe.

      Reply

  • Ride Along with Randy (youtube/flickr)
    April 28, 2024

    Howdy!
    I am 70 years young, and ever since I lived alone for the past many years I have enjoyed cooking (some good, some bad). Love experimenting. I make a mean BBQ kidney beans, hamburger, bacon, ham, and onions in the slow cooker which feeds me for days. now I am experimenting with some of your recipes on your YouTube channel.
    Cheers form Alpine, CA P.S. In my spare time, I am an accomplished wildlife and landscape photographer.

    Reply

  • Thom Padrick
    April 27, 2024

    Your recipes are so good and easy to understand. My wife is loving all the delicious food I have been cooking. Thank you for your hard work. Your story is inspiring! -Thom

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 27, 2024

      I’m so happy you both love our recipes! Thank you so much for the fantastic review and your encouraging words. I am smiling big reading your comment, Thom! I hope you get to cook up more recipes soon!

      Reply

  • Patricia Adams
    April 25, 2024

    Hello Natasha, I am a huge fan of your recipes and have also purchased your book. I’m writing here because it looks to me like one or more people might be scamming you. Some recipes on facebook with your title on them, have a different name right after your company name (a woman’s name). The recipes must be found in the comments and they don’t follow your format for recipes. They use that phrase : “must say something to continue seeing my posts”. I just thought you should know this. It’s a fairly new issue which I’ve noticed maybe over the last month.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 25, 2024

      Hi Patricia. Thank you for reaching out. Unfortunately, this seems to be an ongoing problem. There’s not much I can do about it other than report these fake accounts to Facebook when I see them. Please help by also reporting them to Facebook when you see them. My real account has a verified checkmark next to my name and my profile.

      Reply

  • Joannah
    April 25, 2024

    Natasha, I’ve been following you on YT for sourdough bread recipes and techniques. Just popped my first loaf in the oven. When I got to the part of the recipe that said you’d prepared yours in Idaho, I had to see if you lived nearby. I’m here in Meridian. Thank you for inspiring me and helping me gain the confidence to move forward with my starter. If I see you in the grocery store, I’m going to have to say hello. LOL

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 25, 2024

      Hi Joannah! You’re so very welcome! I’m so glad you found the information helpful.

      Reply

  • Alladin
    April 25, 2024

    you are wonderful. I love ur videos as if am watching a comic movie. what i love most in u is that u never repeat ur self and all ur actions r new. May God bless u and ur wonderful family.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 25, 2024

      Thank you, I appreciate it so much!

      Reply

  • Brenda
    April 22, 2024

    Hi Natasha, I’m new to your site but am going to make the sloppy joes via slow cooker for a potluck with about 16 ppl. My question: when you say tomato sauce is that the same as marinara or the tomato sauce in the can? thanks!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 22, 2024

      Hi Brenda! We used canned tomato sauce (not pasta or marinara sauce). I hope you love the recipe!

      Reply

  • Yolande
    April 22, 2024

    Hello Natasha, can you please make zebra cake. We miss it from Ukraine.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  • Eve N Hanna
    April 21, 2024

    Dear Natasha,
    I enjoyed reading your story. My friend and I have written a book about the pickleball craze. The last chapter is how to host a pickleball party. We would like to use your version of the slow cooker meatballs recipe with the grape jelly, BBQ sauce and chili sauce. We are hoping for permission to include your recipe. Of course, we will give credit to you for the recipe in our reference section. Thanks for your consideration.
    Eve and Fran

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 22, 2024

      HI Eve, can you send us an email and use this contact form to message us!

      Reply

  • Nicole
    April 21, 2024

    Hi Natasha,
    I’m making your Best Vanilla Cake and Buttercream frosting for my grandson. I’ve made two 9×13 layers and will need to frost the inside and outside. Your recipe yields 5 c. of buttercream; do you think 2 batches of buttercream is enough to cover the cake?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 21, 2024

      Hi Nicole! I’m not sure, I haven’t tested different sizes of cakes with that frosting to know exactly how much would be needed for each size.

      Reply

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