I’m Bogdan Sandu. I write everything on Burpy, and most of it gets tested in my own kitchen before it goes online.
Way back in 2008, I was mostly focused on design. Design and tech, to be more precise. I could talk for hours about pixels and code and how they intertwine on the web.
Then something shifted. A tiny seed of passion started demanding its space, and it wasn’t about design or technology. It was about food.
First, the part you might be here for: the old Burpy
If you know the Burpy name from Texas, that’s because burpy.com used to be a same-day grocery delivery service. It delivered from H-E-B, Walmart, Kroger and Whole Foods in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth.
That company shut down in 2021. I had nothing to do with it. In 2023 I bought the domain and relaunched it as the cooking site you’re reading now.
So, to be completely clear:
- Burpy no longer delivers groceries, and there is no way to order, log in, or become a shopper here.
- I am not affiliated with the former company, its founders, or its staff, and I don’t have access to any old customer accounts or data.
- If you’re looking for the old service, it’s gone. Sorry. But if you shop at Costco, stick around.
What Burpy is now
Burpy is a small, one-person cooking site. It’s not a recipe empire. The main thing I do here is answer a very specific question: “I just brought this home from Costco. How do I actually cook it?”
Every Costco and Kirkland cooking guide follows the same process:
- I buy the product and I note the item number, the price I paid and the date.
- I cook it more than one way: oven, air fryer, stovetop, microwave, whatever makes sense for that product. Then I write down what actually happened, not what the package promised.
- I check internal temperatures with a thermometer and use the USDA safe minimums, not guesses.
- I go back and update when Costco changes the packaging or the instructions. Each guide shows a “Last tested” date.
You’ll also find a few kitchen converters I built because I kept needing them (grams to cups, oven to air fryer, butter), plus recipes and side-dish ideas for the things we cook at home.
Cooking solo vs. cooking with the squad
Sometimes the kitchen is my sanctum, a place where I lose and find myself. The steady rhythm of chopping, the meditative stir of the spoon, the satisfaction of tasting something that’s just right. That’s what I call solo therapy.
But other times it’s a family gig.
Sundays are special. My wife, my daughters and I turn into an unbeatable team, whipping up course after course, tasting, laughing and creating memories. Sundays are when the kitchen sees the best kind of chaos. A lot of the Costco guides started as Sunday experiments.
Who is Bogdan Sandu?
I’m a home cook, not a chef, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. My professional background is in web design and development, which I’ve been doing since 2008. That’s also why this site loads without twelve pop-ups.
What I can honestly claim:
- I’ve been cooking for my family almost daily for 20+ years.
- I’ve personally cooked every Costco product that has a “tested” guide on this site.
- When I’m wrong, I fix it. If you find a mistake, email me and I’ll correct the article and note the change.
Everything I’ve published here is listed on my author page.
How this site makes money, and what it doesn’t do
Burpy shows a few ads and may include affiliate links (if you buy something through one, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you). Costco doesn’t pay me, sponsor me, or review anything before it’s published. No product on this site was sent to me for free, and no brand has ever paid for a placement in a cooking guide.
Say hello
Questions, corrections, or a Costco product you want me to test next? Email me at bogdan@burpy.com or use the contact page. I read everything, and I answer most of it.