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With a small kitchen and big ideas, an Oklahoma chef brings unique variety to downtown Stillwater.

- JOMARIEHICKERSON

WHEN MOST PEOPLE think of collectors, hoarders of thimbles, stamps, or baseball cards might come to mind. But one Oklahoma chef collects moments from her life and displays them in her restaurant and her food.

For as long as she can remember, Sarah Ramsey has loved food. In fact, her father summed up her appreciation in a simple nickname: Good Little Eater. Not only is that a fond memory, it foreshadowed Ramsey’s future and the first piece in her collection.

“I was always shoving pasta in my face or eating whatever,” Ramsey says.

While working on her bachelor’s degree at Portland State University in Oregon, Ramsey worked in a small local café. The now-closed restaurant’s menu changed daily, but it was always built on a solid foundation of tastefully crafted dishes. Ramsey says she loved their style.

After graduating in 1993, Ramsey moved to Stillwater and started entertaining when her boyfriend got a job at Oklahoma State University.