Obituary of Laura Saynay
Laura Saynay unexpectedly passed away on December 10, 2021 in Farmingdale, New Jersey. Born on July 30, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois, she was the daughter of Robert and Esther (Horka) Saynay. Growing up in Camarillo, California Laura was involved in the local 4H program, trained special needs dogs, took woodworking classes in school, participated in school plays and learned sewing skills from her mom.
After graduating college and working various administrative jobs, Laura changed the focus of her career to one of the loves of her life: Food. Having worked earlier in her life at a Denny’s restaurant where she learned to “rock and roll” in preparing meals, she took that experience to the fine art of being a pastry chef. She had stints at various restaurants on both Coasts which included the Ritz Carlton, Stars (led by world renowned Chef Jeremiah Tower), Sanctuary, El Teddy’s, and Clementine. Laura then left her pastry chef job to start her own candy-making business Tea and Cake Confections where she had a real talent for homey, old fashioned confections like nut brittles, caramels, lollipops, and fudge for both private clients and public customers in New York. Tea and Cake Confections received a glowing review from then New York Times restaurant reviewer Florence Fabricant. Later upon moving to the Jersey Shore, Laura started a new business, Pantry, where she continued with some of her previous creations and added new ones that included Bien Granola Bars, flavored syrups, Mongolian Beef Sauce, Bing Cherries, and hand-crafted Gingerbread Houses. Part artisan, part scientist, Laura used her kitchen as laboratory to discover new flavors and textures in food. At her Jersey Shore home, Laura also threw memorable summer parties that featured her cooking talents. Laura was a master at her craft with a true passion for the culinary arts. You can visit her Instagram page at Pantry_NJ to see what she created.
Laura is survived by her son Phillip Parker, sisters Susan Saynay, Marilyn Daniels, and Carolyn Kennedy, and was predeceased by her brother Carl Saynay. She is also survived by her partner Walter Manning. Although there will be no viewing or service, friends, and family hope to throw a party commemorating Laura’s life with food, music, and dancing sometime in the future. Just what Laura would want. Finally, Laura had a big heart and often expressed her love through the delicious meals and desserts she meticulously prepared for everyone’s enjoyment. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. All arrangements are under the direction of the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township. For information, or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.