Many chefs and bakers have their own niche— some more than others. Amber Murtoff’s corner just so happens to be a special focus on plants and the ingredients they create.
Murtoff, owner of plant-based bakery and catering service The Sweet Botanist, in York, is known for her cakes, oatmeal cream pies, parfaits and even savory pies, among other delicacies, all of which avoid any type of animal product but don’t skimp on flavor.
One customer ordered a vegan version of a traditional Pennsylvania pot pie, and, Murtoff says, “It brought tears to her eyes because she hasn’t been able to eat something that her grandmother would have made for years and still be vegan.” This is the kind of stuff that fuels Murtoff, who thrives on seeing customers enjoy her creations.
Plant-based food, also called vegan food, isn’t a piece of grass, she says: "“Everything is how you flavor it, from meat to tofu,”" She wants people with dietary restrictions, including those with allergies or health concerns, to have a safe place to get food and treats they’ll remember.
And Murtoff’s focus on plant-based, healthy ingredients goes all the way to the source, starting with her homemade food dyes. She makes most of her dyes from food scraps and dried flowers like butterfly pea flowers.
Murtoff has been in the business of food since the age of 15, when she began working as a server at a 1950s-themed diner, poodle skirt and all. After contracting Lyme disease, which left her partially blind, she was unable to participate in many normal teenage activities and instead turned to cooking.
Now, as a chef who focuses on the plant-based side of life, her custom orders and catered events transform the everyday and the celebratory moments alike into something even more special.
With all her experience, it wasn’t until a few years ago that Murtoff baked her first cake (a fact that would surprise anyone who sees her ornate creations). “I get very hyperfocused on things,” she says. “The more you enjoy something, the more you want to spend time learning it.”
The Sweet Botanist partners with a cafe in Red Lion, called Grounding, for a monthly event featuring a savory or sweet flight combined with coffees. Murtoff also caters private dinners throughout the year, and holiday meals like Thanksgiving are a big request. Bridal showers and fundraising nights are a couple more examples of catering events she frequents, including last year’s French-themed gala for Lancaster Farm Sanctuary with about 100 people. Of course, custom orders are available for pickup or delivery depending on size of order and location.
In addition to creations like a creme brulee cheesecake, rice pudding parfait and Gothic red velvet cake, Murtoff created a cookbook, dubbed “Floral Fête,” featuring floralinspired recipes. Since so many people ask her to share recipes, she compiled some of her botanical creations for them to make at home. Violet syrup, raspberry rose sorbet, calendula lemon bars and other simple, but impressive, recipes are included in the e-book.
Moving forward, Murtoff plans to continue partnering with local businesses like Grounding as well as York’s Firefly Hollow Wellness. She’s also consulting for the Holiday Inn and Imperial Event Center in Lancaster, helping them transform into more plant-based-friendly establishments. Later this year, she’s collaborating with Locally Seasoned to put on a pawpaw cooking class at Leg Up Farmers Market in York. And this summer, she’ll be welcoming the merging of Krystal Block’s Sweets & Snacks Studio to create an even bigger force in the plant-based ecosystem.
Murtoff’s success is no accident. For a while, she stuck with the word “vegan” in her marketing, but switched to “plant-based” because she found it was more approachable. “About 40% of our customers are not vegan,” she says. “They might have milk or gluten allergies or high cholesterol or something like that, and they’re just looking to steer clear of synthetic chemicals or bad ingredients in their food.” Ultimately, the stigma of vegan food is unfounded, she says, and just because something is made from plants, it doesn’t make it unapproachable. In fact, it’s quite the opposite—as her many customers can attest.
Although The Sweet Botanist doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar store, anyone can contact Murtoff at her website (thesweetbotanist.com) or customer service text line (717-600-4655). She’s also on Facebook and Instagram (@TheSweetBotanist), where followers can drool over her utterly artistic creations—but it’ll take more than a swipe to taste all that Murtoff's baked goods have to offer.
The Sweet Botanist | 717-600-4655 | thesweetbotanist.com | FB/IG: @TheSweetBotanist
