Kalamata's Kitchen: Taste Buds in Harmony

Kalamata and her alligator sidekick Al Dente are back in a brand-new adventure! Join them and their friend Kyo as they discover how different ideas and ingredients can create magic when mixed together!

This charming picture book champions teamwork, harmony, and creativity, and reminds us that sometimes the answers we're looking for can be found in unexpected places.

Kalamata and her friends Al Dente, Kyo, Dovie, and Knox are practicing their dance routine for the upcoming talent show. But none of them agree on what the routine is missing—Dovie thinks it needs more twirls, Knox wants more break-dancing, and everyone is getting frustrated! 
 
Luckily for the Electric (Fried Chicken) Sliders (as their group is called), all the magic they need to create a great dance routine is within reach! As Kalamata, Kyo, and Al Dente transport themselves to Kyo's family's kopitiam (Malaysian coffee shop), they discover how different ingredients are made better when combined with others. When they return, the team works together to incorporate each of their ideas and moves into a routine that steals the show!

Sarah Thomas is the co-creator and Chief Imaginator of Kalamata's Kitchen, but she considers her title of Professional Try-Things-Twicer the most important of all. Sarah grew up surrounded by the delicious scents and flavors of her mother's Indian Kerala cuisine. Her love of food and storytelling led Sarah to the hospitality industry, and though she was a sommelier for years, these days she's focused on introducing Kalamata and her Taste Buds to as many new friends as possible.

Derek Wallace is the creator of Kalamata's Kitchen. He spent sixteen years working in sales and marketing leadership, until in 2016, he realized how much he wanted to inspire his son, Henry, to experience the world through the lens of food. So, he came up with the idea of a little girl named Kalamata, and has devoted himself to introducing her to the world ever since.

Jo Kosmides Edwards is the Doodling Dynamo of Kalamata's Kitchen. She thinks of herself as a maker with a love for creating in many mediums, including books, murals, and fine art. Her love of food started as child in her father's restaurant, where she earned the reputation of "the kid who would try anything."