Chef Sarah Labensky was Founding Director of the Culinary Arts Institute at Mississippi University for Women.  She taught cooking and management courses, and administered the school’s four-year baccalaureate degree program in Culinary Arts.  Prior to joining MUW’s faculty, she was a Professor of Culinary Arts at Scottsdale (Arizona) Community College.  Before teaching, Chef Sarah spent many years as a working pastry cook and caterer. 

In April 2006, Sarah purchased The Front Door and Back Door restaurants, located in downtown Columbus.  She quickly expanded the operation to add a gourmet retail shop and an evening fine dining restaurant. Sarah purchased The Green Olive Italian Restaurant, located in northwest Columbus, in September 2006. 

Sarah is co-author of the best-selling culinary textbook, On Cooking:  A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals (Prentice Hall, 1995; 4th ed., 2006).  She also co-authored On Baking, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cooking Techniques and Science, Webster’s New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts, The Prentice Hall Essentials Dictionary of Culinary Arts, and Applied Math for Food Service.  She is active in several professional organizations and is a Past President of the 4,000-member International Association of Culinary Professionals.

 In her former life, Sarah was a practicing attorney, with a J.D. degree from Vanderbilt University.  She also holds a B.S. degree in Political Science and Public Administration from Murray (Kentucky) State University and a Culinary Certificate from Scottsdale (Arizona) Community College.  She has been repeatedly included in Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who of American Women.  She was elected to the Board of Directors of Main Street Columbus, Inc. in January 2007, and was also appointed to Columbus' Historic Preservation Commission that year. Sarah is originally from Murray, Kentucky, and has also lived in Phoenix and Nashville.

In addition to good food, Chef Sarah is passionate about travel and animals. She is Mom to three Rhodesian Ridgebacks, two Weimaraners and four cats of questionable pedigree.