Current Cuisine in Yellow Springs produces innovative, creative dishes using just those kinds of fresh, quality ingredients that are married together with the owners’ passion for food.
Prior to the pandemic, the bulk of its business was carry-out — one part East Coast deli, one part international grocery and two parts carry-out with a smattering of cute, casual tables for dining.
Owners Karyn Stillwell-Current and Steve Current have a long history of navigating changes with their business that dates back to the early 1980s.
”Steve’s background consists of attending the culinary program in high school at the Greene County Career Center. During that time, Steve helped build the kitchen at The Apple Tree, a restaurant opening in Xenia,” said Karyn.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
The couple met at The Winds Café in Yellow Springs where Steve was working as a cook and Karyn was working as a server. The couple ultimately decided to open their own catering business part time in 1983. Their first job with their company, Current Catering, was for one of Karyn’s customers from The Winds.
Shortly afterward, the couple was receiving calls to cater other events. They rented a commercial kitchen in Yellow Springs to cater weddings and corporate events. In 1989, they purchased their current location in downtown Yellow Springs.
”We went from renting a kitchen space in a local building to the current location in downtown (Yellow Springs) that expanded into a full-service deli, bakery, and international grocery retail store and catering business. The name changed to Current Cuisine with a business model to keep up with trends and healthy eating,” said Karyn.
“We specialize in healthy, made-from-scratch food items as we keep up with current food trends,” she said. “We are a full spectrum gourmet deli offering traditional items such as an assortment of salads and overstuffed deli sandwiches, made-from-scratch soups, salmon prepared several ways, homemade hummus, spinach squares, varying daily lunch specials that we announce on our Facebook page daily [and] our warm-at-home pre-cooked and frozen casseroles.”
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
I have been ordering and purchasing food from Current Cuisine for more than two decades. Over the years, I have enjoyed carry-out breakfasts, lunches, dinners, holiday meals, snacks, deli delights and everything in between. I can personally swear by their food.
At the end of 2020, I ordered the majority of my Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners from them. It was a terrific value that impressed with large flavorful portions that my husband and I enjoyed as we isolated ourselves from family and friends. Everything we had was impressive, flavorful and delightful.
“We specialize in catering events, from a light appetizer event to formal sit-down dinners. We serve a wide variety of fresh homemade foods, focusing on local vegetables, ethnic foods and trying to be up with current trends. We try to be aware of the many dietary restrictions such as gluten free and vegan,” said Karyn.
“We take great pride in the preparation and delivery of our food,” she continued. “From the suppliers we choose to ensure the best ingredients, to the love we pour into it while preparing it, and the great feeling of pride to see our customers enjoying it. It gives us joy to fill our downtown neighborhood with the aroma of hot bread, chocolate chip cookies, roasted veggies and turkey. We really feel that the joy of providing good, healthy and safely prepared meals to our community of friends and family is exactly what makes it so special. It’s like cooking for your own family.”
The featured dishes change daily depending on the season, the availability of produce and by what they are feeling inspired. As both Steve and Karyn will tell you, they like to be creative and imaginative when it comes to their food.
Currently the winter comfort foods they are featuring include dishes like four-cheese macaroni and cheese, oven-roasted vegetables with balsamic glaze, French country stew with parsnips and turnips, and house-made chicken with spaetzle noodles.
The deli has always been set up with a focus on to-go items. The deli has four small tables inside and five outside, weather permitting. It serves freshly made salads by the pound, breakfast sandwiches, house-made soups, dinner entrees. and more. The pastry case is filled with cakes, tarts, cheesecakes, muffins, scones, cookies and all kinds of temptations that are hard to say no to.
“We are an international gourmet retail grocery store, gourmet carry-out deli with a huge selection of prepared food choices — hot and cold — that include soups, breakfast sandwiches, unique entrees, made-from-scratch pastries and desserts. Our store is filled with crackers, cheeses, chips, and drinks to accompany the deli item if you want to picnic,” said Karyn. “We have extremely loyal customers spanning the community and beyond. Because we are in an area with a lot of tourists, we have customers from all around the world who return to this area and patronize our deli. Since there is a bike path connecting the areas, we have customers that ride from Dayton and Columbus to eat in our deli. The local residents and community are and have always been very supportive. We feel blessed.”
Current Cuisine has a monthly newsletter that can be picked up in the deli or viewed on the Facebook page and website. Each week they feature a themed international food weekend, named " A Taste of _______.” Some recent regions that they have highlighted include Italy, Mexico, India, Greece and Thailand.
In addition they feature weekly and daily offerings as well as special holiday meals like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. They will be featuring a special gourmet meal for Valentine’s Day this year.
Although they were never forced to shut down during the pandemic, it was clear to the husband-wife team that they needed to diversify.
“We developed a menu that we make during the week. It’s a complete meal set-up for two people. We deliver these within Yellow Springs village or they can be picked up. Some of the staff were uncomfortable waiting on people, even with our own mask requirement right away. We shortened our operating hours to being open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. We took away all of our dining tables, put up plexiglass, and insisted on masks. Our space is so narrow that the tables remain gone due to social distancing,” said Karyn. “Catering actually came to a screeching halt. All of our weddings, corporate events, and fundraisers were canceled. Some events were actually rescheduled as a Zoom fundraiser. We have provided various types of boxed appetizers or dinners for the attendees to pick up and enjoy during their Zoom attendance.”
Items found in the deli case include fresh salmon, beef and pork dishes, chicken wings, turkey, vegetables, as well as chicken, tuna and egg salad.
And then there are all of the desserts made from scratch — whole or by the slice. There really is something for everyone who walks through the door.
HOW TO GO
What: Current Cuisine
Where: 237 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs
More info: Since the menu changes daily, it’s not available in printed form. The special holiday menus can be ordered by calling the store at 937-767-8291, the office at 937-767-9110, or leaving an email at info@currentcuisine.com.
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