Monica Vuchkova has a hard time keeping a smile off her face. And she seems keen on spreading it to the mouths of the South Coast, in between bites of creamy Brie, fresh figs, salty coppa, and honey smeared on a chunk of crunchy baguette.
That’s just one of many tasty combos to be had thanks to The Grazing Place. Vuchkova, a chemical engineering grad and native of Bulgaria, has found her calling in drool-inducing charcuterie boards, and her happy place in Santa Barbara. She’s combined both with The Grazing Place, which is just as much in the eye-candy business as the charcuterie space. Vuchkova’s boards offer every snack one would expect. What stands out, however, are the quality of the ingredients and the pops of marigold, rosemary, and the incredibly inventive permutations into which meat, cheese, fruit, and flowers are sliced and folded. Though Vuchkova didn’t say as much, it’s obvious these gregarious grazing tables reflect their maker.
She wasn’t always so chipper. After immigrating to the U.S., Vuchkova worked as a transportation manager in Chicago and recalled “feeling drained, not feeling happy. When I moved to Santa Barbara, my life changed so much. The energy people have here is so different.” Swap in scenery — done. Next came the real plunge: pursuing her life’s work. “I like to explore, and I needed something to express my creativity,” she mused. “I thought it would be a side hustle.”