Heather Sperling

A Touch of Hand
Heather Sperling

There is a quiet wisdom in the handmade—an unhurried language spoken through fiber, clay, plant, pigment, wood, and flame. It is a way of listening as much as shaping, of letting materials and ingredients guide us toward forms that feel both ancient and new. In these quiet acts of making, we remember how time slows when we’re fully present, how creation becomes its own form of grounding, and how the simplest gestures of the hand can tether us back to ourselves, to place, and to one another.

Heather Sperling is the co-owner of Botanica, a beloved LA restaurant and market. Creating farmers market centric food and empowering women, motivate this entrepreneur and advocate - she is also the co-founder of Regarding Her, a non profit fueling equality and inclusivity for Women in food. We co-hosted a holiday gathering with Heather and friends to celebrate the launch and installation of our artisan-made, natural fiber wall art. A gathering rooted in craft and community.

Discover how Heather came to find her craft, her tactile nature and her refreshing perspective on hosting.

What first awakened your sense of cooking as your craft?

I've been connected to food for as long as I can recall. As a young child I would play endlessly in my grandmother's kitchen drawers and spice cabinet; as I grew, I helped her make Syrian bread (I'm part Lebanese), and eventually would check cookbooks out of the library for weekend cooking projects with my mom. I lived in India at age 7, and my dominant memories from that time are flavors: raw shallot with green chile and lime, freshly gathered eggs with the most exceptional black pepper, butterscotch ice cream. When I first lived on my own, in college, I naturally gravitated to over-ambitious cooking projects -- and I haven't stopped since! I'm happiest and most in flow when in the kitchen.

How does your relationship to the natural world influence you?

I'm both a visual and a tactile person, so nothing inspires me and satisfies me more than gathering beautiful produce and using my hands to transform it into something that nourishes and delights people. I feel damn fortunate every day to live in a place where there's such beautiful bounty all times of the year.

Botanica has such a strong sense of place. How has the restaurant evolved into such a meaningful expression of values and community?

Botanica was actually built on a foundation of core values, and has always been motivated by a desire to create community. When co-founder Emily Fiffer and I conceptualized the business, one of our first steps was to write out the values we wanted the business to center around. I've endeavored to make every decision for the business based on these values. The process has definitely been an exercise in the power of intention-setting as a way to set and stay a course. The market at the front of the restaurant is also a special manifestation of community, as it's stocked with products from other small businesses who share our values of sustainability, nourishment and devotion to craft.

You create in harmony with the seasons. What everyday rituals or traditions are meaningful to you?
Most Sundays you can find me at the Hollywood farmers market, stocking up for the restaurants and my home. Filling these spaces with beautiful local, seasonal produce is my favorite ritual of the week. I have a corner of my kitchen counter that's always filled with seasonal produce, displayed in some beautiful bowls, and it just makes me really happy!

Describe your ideal gathering in three words?

Sunlight, women, laughter. Truly my most cherished combination!

For someone hoping to bring more intention into gathering, what are some hosting tips you return to again and again?

So many thoughts here!

First and foremost: Don't overthink it. Gathering is the most important part, not perfection!
Having an intentional collection of things you love is a key to easy entertaining that still feels personal. So: table linens, ceramics for serving, glassware... taking the time to collect some special things specifically for the table means that things really flow when it's time to gather!
Stay stocked with candles (I have a beloved collection of tapers) and have a few great playlists that you love that will create a mood but not dominate the space.
The better stocked your pantry is, the easier it will be to put together something lovely, even with limited time! I always have a cabinet full of Botanica Pantry goods, conservas from Bar Siesta, Japanese ingredients from Toiro Kitchen, and of course tons of beautiful olive oil. With a stocked pantry and some farmers market produce in the fridge, you can whip up something special without crazy effort.

"I'm both a visual and a tactile person, so nothing inspires me and satisfies me more than gathering beautiful produce and using my hands to transform it into something that nourishes and delights people."