Whisk celebrates anniversary with weekend celebration

An example: I walked through the store with owner Dan Saklad. He introduced me to this pan that makes Ebelskiver filled pancakes, a tube that can cut grapes and cherry red tomatoes by just dropping them through it, and a pepper grinder that grinds automatically when you flip it over. 

When Saklad and his wife, Diana, opened Whisk a year ago, their goal was to create a specialty retail store that also offered fun and new classes. They sought out to employ local cooks and not traditional sales peoples to work the floor. They also got a network of chefs and instructors on board to host classes including "Mastering Knife Skills," "Sushi Rolling," "20 Minute Main Dishes" and "Capturing Your Meal in Photos," which has become a breakout hit among restaurant owners, bloggers and others in the food industry. 

The focus on retail and cooking is a perfect marriage for the Saklads.

Dan Saklad grew up in a family that embraced the local food and culture. The son of a successful business executive who traveled a lot, he was able to take in a variety of the world's food. He started out making his own lunch once a week and was soon cooking dinner for the family once a week. Although he pursued a business education, he attended culinary classes while getting his MBA from Cornell. 

Diane Saklad was raised in a struggling Polish and Ukrainian immigrant neighborhood in Rochester, N.Y. Art, travel, food and hospitality were always major themes in her life. She attended Skidmore College in New York and has experience in the retail and service industries. 

Dan Saklad said the two sat down one day at their Cary home and decided to come up with a list of what they would want in a business. The sheet became a blueprint for what would become Whisk. 

The store strives to keep the most up-to-date products on hand. New items are delivered daily and if there is something that a customer has heard about and can't find, Whisk will gladly order it. 

For the Saklad's, Whisk is about creating a community that will hopefully continue to grow in years to come. 

In celebration of its one year anniversary, Whisk is holding several special events. Here's a rundown: