What’s Cooking?

“It’s a beautiful place to work. It’s extraordinary.” 

Head chef Lou Ruscitto-Donato authors the dinner programs at Aurora Cooks!, a culinary experience nestled in a picturesque town at the Inns of Aurora Resort and Spa. During peak season, she offers a different experience for every night of the week, utilizing food and wine from the Finger Lakes area. 

From a panadería in Los Angeles to the shores of Cayuga Lake, her career has taken her from coast to coast. When the pandemic devastated the restaurant industry, Ruscitto-Donato was left wondering how she fit into that picture anymore. She saw an ad for Inns of Aurora and decided to throw her hat into the ring […]

585mag.com [May/June issue]

About Me

Sarah Mead grew up reading anything she could get her hands on and her stories won her the future author award in elementary school. As a fourth-grade teacher, she earned a master's degree in writing curriculum, but decided that writing children’s books was much more fun! She regularly publishes magazine articles and leads a group of children's authors and illustrators in Rochester, NY. When she isn’t writing or reading, you can find her belting showtunes in the carpool or playing board games with her husband and three kids. She has a mini-goldendoodle named Oliver who likes to sleep on her feet while she writes.