Every spring, neighbors on Victoria Avenue gather for one of their favorite traditions: a
progressive dinner. This year, the main course came from someone they’d watched grow up.
Lillian Calahan Klein and her mother, Rebecca, prepared the menu through Sweet Savory and
Special, their new catering venture. The idea grew from a vision to create opportunities for
people with intellectual and developmental disabilities while giving back to the organizations
that have helped shape Lillian’s life.
For the Calahan Klein family, it was a full-circle moment.
The family moved to Lafayette in 2005 and quickly became part of the close-knit neighborhood.
Over the years, neighbors watched Lillian grow into the young woman now serving them
dinner.
Looking out for others has always come naturally to Lillian. Victoria Avenue is known
throughout Lafayette as a Halloween destination, drawing hundreds to the street each year.
When Lillian noticed that children and adults with mobility challenges couldn’t easily reach the
front porch, she set up a table at the curb to make trick or treating easier for all.
At Camp Awesome, she noticed some younger campers feeling a bit overwhelmed by camp.
She brought art supplies to camp, set up an art table and invited them to join her making
beautiful creations. Camp director Jonathan “Ace” Katayanagi noticed and invited her to
become a junior recreation leader known as “Meepster”. It was her first job and an early sign of
the leader she would become.
Cooking became another way Lillian cared for others. Rebecca and Lillian enrolled together in
Diablo Valley College’s culinary arts program, where they learned side by side. During the
pandemic, concerned about neighbors who couldn’t shop, they cooked and delivered meals up
and down the street. They also baked nearly 100 “Challahs for Heroes” for caregivers and
residents at Merrill Gardens, where Lillian’s grandmother, Muriel, lived.
After culinary school, however, finding meaningful employment was a challenge. Like many
adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Lillian discovered that employers often
overlooked her abilities. Rather than trying to fit into a workplace that wasn’t designed for her
strengths, she and Rebecca decided to build one around them.
“Success is possible if the design is right,” Rebecca says. With Rebecca’s experience building
companies and nonprofits, they turned that vision into reality.
Family gave Lillian her first opportunities. Her sister, Katherine, and brother-in-law, Alex, asked
her to create their wedding cake. Friends ordering Mother’s Day cakes, birthday desserts,
family meals, and food for community events. One celebration led to another, and Sweet
Savory and Special began to take shape.
The name reflects what Lillian loves to create: sweet treats, savory family recipes, and specialoccasion
favorites like birthday cakes and challah. But “Special” carries another meaning. “It’s
incredibly special and inspiring to work alongside my daughter”.
Giving back is at the heart of their mission, especially their support of Special Olympics
Northern California. Ask Lillian about the organization, and it’s easy to see how much it means
to her. Through swimming, soccer, the Health Leaders program, and Athlete Leadership, she
found confidence, lifelong friendships, and a voice as an advocate representing Special
Olympics in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
“Special Olympics has made a transformational difference in our lives,” Rebecca says. And
unlike so many programs for people with special needs, Lillian will never age out. Athletes can
compete their whole lives. We hope our company’s support helps even more families like ours.
They also support Sunflower Hill, which provides housing and programs for people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities. With a new residential community opening in
Lafayette, that partnership feels especially close to home.
“Everyone has unique gifts to share with the world,” Rebecca says. “Take time to see each
other. Take time to be with each other. Take time to share a meal together. It will change your
life.”
To learn more or place an order, visit sweetsavoryandspecial.com.
