Table Talk: Edward Alfonso & Flavia Carballo, The Law of Donutgineering

Name: Edward Alfonso & Flavia Carballo
Business/Location: The Law of Donutgineering (The LoDG)/Hoboken, New Jersey
Specialty: We craft donuts that are unique and never seen before.

What makes your business unique: We infuse traditional donuts with domestic flavors and we celebrate our cultures through our creations. For example, we have Sweet & Fowl which is our version of chicken and waffles. And we have international flavors inspired by our Cuban and Argentine roots. Our El Balsero donut is made with guava cake and cream cheese, and El Gauchito is filled with dulce de leche and pineapple.

What’s your story: We are a couple who happen to be as in love with each other as we are with delicious food.  We realized that there was no craft donut shop in the area, so we set out to change that.

Edward: I have been working in the food industry for almost 10 years now, and I’ve held positions ranging from host, bartender, and bar manager to kitchen expediter, line cook, and plate decorator. Working in the food industry began as way to help pay for my bachelor and master of science degrees in Biomedical Engineering. But later this evolved into a profound love for the art of crafting food. Since I was a very small child, I always loved donuts, and that clearly has not changed today as I find happiness in “A-B-C-D”, Airplanes, Beer, Coffee, and Donuts.

Flavia: I am a dulce de leche-loving, pastry dreaming, Argentina native who has been a part of the food industry for a few years. From banquet/restaurant serving and bartending to food decorating and fondant shaping, I have deep appreciation for the creation of food. I received a bachelor's degree in social work and then went on to complete law school. Gaining gastronomical experience throughout the years is what brought me back to the kitchen and where the scrumptious idea of "not basic" donuts began. Alongside Eddie, The Law of Donutgineering (The LoDG) was born.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: Make sure to do your research before jumping into a food business. And know that a great concept does not always transfer.  There’s lots of trial and error. Until you get your hands dirty, you don’t know if your idea is going to work.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  We wish we had known about all the paperwork that needed to be completed before we could begin cooking. This includes business registration, licensing, etc.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it: Funding is definitely a challenge, but we are planning to launch a crowdfunding campaign in the near future.  

What are you most proud of about your business:  We are proud to have developed such amazing and incredibly one-of-a-kind products without having the expected culinary experience.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur? We love seeing how customers react to our products and knowing that we have built such a unique company.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.
 

Table Talk: Jill Weiss, The Jersey S'more Company

Name: Jill Weiss
Business/Location: The Jersey S'more Company/Montville, NJ
Your Specialty: Our specialty, and what we are best known for, is creating custom flavor combinations, and personalized desserts. Our S'mores are like pieces of art!  Each one is the customer's vision! So, of course, that also guarantees freshness because each platter, gift box, or individually-wrapped S'more is made to order!

What problem does your business solve?: We solve the problem of diversity.  Usually, by the time people get to dessert, they are really too full for a whole dessert.  I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've been out for dinner with friends, and by the time dessert rolls around, we are too full to order our own.  So what happens? We spend 20 minutes trying to decide on a dessert to share that everyone is going to like. With our S'mores, you can opt for our large sized S'monster S'more to cut up and share, IF everyone can agree on the same flavor.  Or, you can order a 6-piece of our S'mini S'mores to cut up, each in a different flavor, and then everyone gets to sample as many different flavors as they want to, without feeling like they overdid it! It's really marvelous!

What makes your business unique?: Now that's a question that has an abundance of answers!  Here are just a few things that make our product so unique...1.  Each S'more is handmade. Yes! EVERY single one! 2. Our S'mores, unlike ordinary s'mores, have no graham crackers in them!  You might choose "Graham Cracker Crunch" as one of your S'more toppings, but you're not going to find any inside of your S'mores!  The inside of our S'mores is built with 2 very soft vanilla cookies and gooey, melted marshmallows. They literally melt in your mouth!  3. Each gourmet S'more is custom built to YOUR specifications. 4. Each S'more can be personalized with words, colors, themes, props, etc.  For example, our Easter platters feature S'mores with a Peep head and tail attached to them, but our College Commitment and Graduation S'mores are done in college theme colors, while for your sweetheart’s birthday, you may want to write "happy birthday" or "I love you" on your S'mores.  And, each S'more on your platter or in your gift box can be topped or designed differently, giving you many different options in the same order. 5. Unlike other pick-up desserts, we offer 2 sizes. One size does not always fit all! Our S'mini S'mores are the diameter of an Oreo cookie but double the thickness.  They are sold in groups of 6 pieces (half dozen, dozen, dozen and a half, etc.) and most customers order them plattered, for parties or gifts, or, boxed for gifts or shipping. Our S'monster S'mores are 2 1/2 times the size of our S'minis. They can be plattered, but most people order them individually wrapped for gifts or party favors.  The S'monsters are also what we supply restaurants, markets, and boutiques. 6. We unveil new topping flavors twice a year, and, new designs every year for holidays! 7. There is not another product on the market like our S'mores...anywhere!

What’s your story?: I started The Jersey S'more Company in 2016.  I am divorced, and a mom to 3 amazing kids that I wanted to stop saying "no" to all the time.  My favorite thing to do is to cook for people. Food makes people happy! So I set out to make something that would be different from everyone else's cupcakes, chocolate covered Oreos, and chocolate chip cookies.  I developed my first recipe, and I invited some people from my town to come over for a taste. I asked what they liked and what they didn't like about it. I asked what they thought of the texture, the size, and the shape.  I asked A LOT of questions! I took all of their suggestions to heart, and I made a few changes. Then I had a whole different group of people come over for a tasting. I asked a lot of questions again. I made some more changes.  And this went on for many months before I ended up with just the right product. The product I started out with the very first day, looks, tastes, and feels nothing like the product we sell today. I am so proud of how far this company has come in such a short amount of time.  And now, I don't have to say "no" nearly as much to my 3 kids...except for things like staying up too late, or...eating too many S'mores!

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: Never be afraid to experiment. Experimenting breeds improvement!  Our S'mores were tested by randomly chosen taste testers for many months before we ever introduced them publicly.  We took every taste testers feedback seriously to continually improve our product. We kept doing that until each taste tester said there was nothing else they would change.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?: If I had known how much people were going to love our product, I would have started this business years before I did!

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: I think my biggest challenge is keeping up with the demand, especially during holidays.  And if you think about it, there is one or two holidays in almost every month on the calendar!  The way I overcome that is to have my ducks in a row before the rush with scheduling for extra staffers way ahead of time.

What are you most proud of about your business?: The thing about the business that I am most proud of, besides the product we've developed, is how quickly we have grown and how widespread we have become.  We don't do a lot of advertising, other than on our Facebook page and on Instagram, because I really believe that it is more beneficial for my customers to rave about my product to other people/potential customers, than for me to rave about it.  Word of mouth is extremely powerful! We ship all over the United States now, and that is totally due to word of mouth. For example, a friend of mine sent a dozen S'mores to a friend of hers in New Orleans, as a get well gift after a surgery. The woman in Louisiana loved them so much, that she called me to send her 2 dozen to give to the hospital staff that took care of her while she was recovering.  Then, someone from the hospital called me to place an order to go to someone as a birthday gift. Our product really sells itself...thanks to our customers!

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur? This is easy!  I LOVE the look on people’s faces when they taste our S'mores for the first time.  One time, I was doing an event, and a woman came to my booth because everyone was talking about the booth with the S'mores.  While she was tasting sample after sample, she called her friend on her cell phone and told her to come over to the event as fast as she can.  She said, as she was gazing up at the ceiling, and I quote, "I tasted this new thing. OMG! It's like the heavens opened up, and angels started to sing!"  It was one of the funniest moments I have ever witnessed, but honestly, that is how people feel about The Jersey S'more Company's S'mores!

Table Talk: Kristal Stevens, Sweet Kiss Lemonade

Name: Kristal Stevens
Business/Location: Sweet Kiss Lemonade/Northern New Jersey
Your Specialty: We specialize in providing a unique and complex set of fresh ingredients to create a quality seasonal beverage. 

What makes your business unique: Lemonade is a very popular drink but our ingredients and process are what make us unique to other companies offering similar refreshments. We have taken a traditionally simple beverage and added a level of complexity parallel to none!

What’s your story: Our company grew out of a necessity to change unhealthy habits and a desire to have a delicious beverage free of unknown and difficult to pronounce ingredients. After many years of developing and perfecting my recipe as well as at the behest of family and friends, I took the leap to bring Sweet Kiss to the marketplace!  

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: Be passionate about your food product, always be fair and honest, and pour yourself into your business.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  Nothing. I truly believe experience is the best teacher. There are so many lessons I have learned over the course of a year, and I look forward to making mistakes and learning more as I progress. It’s all about the journey.  

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it: Currently, shipping is a big issue. I have many customers who would love to buy my product; however, shipping costs are very high for perishable food items coupled with the overall weight and ensuring that the product is received by the customer in a short window of time are proving to be a roadblock to expanding the business. I have some solutions, and I plan to test with family and friends around the country very soon. I'm confident we will figure it out in the very near future.

What are you most proud of about your business:  I'm proud of the progress and the product. I choose quality ingredients that I know will create a premium product. I get lots of feedback, and many times people are surprised with the taste. I strive to continue to progress and grow, but I couldn't be happier with where we're going.  

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  Meeting people at markets is so great! My customers are awesome and show great enthusiasm for the product. To see my lemonade bringing pure joy and amazement to others is priceless.  

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Claire M. Marin, Catskill Provisions Inc.

Name: Claire M. Marin
Business/Location: Catskill Provisions Inc./Long Eddy, NY
Specialty: Artisanal foods, particularly honey and craft spirits, such as NY Honey Rye whiskey

What problem does your business solve?: There is a lack of consistency in gourmet food ingredients. We have been bringing local and delicious artisanal ingredients and spirits to chefs, restaurants and cocktail bars at affordable prices consistently for 7 years.

What makes your business unique?: Well the fact that we are 100% woman owned for starters. There are 1,700 craft distilleries in the US, and only 5 are owned by women! I'm going to be the 6th! I also started from scratch in 2010 as a beekeeper and now supply some of the best restaurants in the NY area. We don't use anything artificial or fillers in anything we make and always give back to causes that help our environment. We are particularly passionate about bees, of course, but also give to animal sanctuaries.

What’s your story?: I started beekeeping on weekends in upstate New York in 2003. By 2010, my hobby became a passion, and I walked away from a successful 15-year career in publishing to officially create Catskill Provisions, an Artisanal Food & Craft Spirits company.

In New York State, the farm distillery movement was just beginning to take shape at that time. Joining the movement was a way of creating a business with integrity, using sustainable practices supporting the local economy that I had grown to love. The Western Catskill Mountain region was really not known for much, even though our honeys, maple, apples, and rye are all amazing!

I began by creating a line of ingredients I sold to chefs and mixologists. I literally harvested the honey placed it in a jar and brought it to the city to sell! I did this with honeys, maple syrup, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, organic flour, and chocolate honey truffles only sweetened with a tiny amount of honey. I also used the honey I produced to create a distinct blend of Rye whiskey that has since earned a Gold medal at the 2017 SIPS International Spirits Competition, a 94-point score and Chairman’s trophy at the prestigious Ultimate Spirits Challenge chaired by Paul Pacult.

Our honeys are all raw and our apple cider vinegar is infused with a wonderful blend of herbs made specially for us by Lior at La Boîte. I am in the process of building out my own distillery in Long Eddy, NY. And I will be growing my own rye wheat and pollinator-friendly botanicals for a gin called NY Pollinator Gin. In my quest to support and promote bee health and wellness I will be donating 3% of all proceeds of this gin to Friends of the Earth for bee causes. The distillery is scheduled to open by September 1. It will be located on my land in my existing barn in Long Eddy, and we will also have a tasting room in Callicoon, NY.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: My advice is to make sure you are ready for the biggest challenge of your life! Have at least 2 years of funds in the bank unless you'll have another means of earning a salary while you get started. Also, I recommend you do extensive research on other brands and what is out there in the market already. You should start out small unless you have investors. Start in your own house or garage first! Remember that’s how Apple and Microsoft began!

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?: I wish I knew that profitability and integrity are tough to have together. I believe that if you have integrity and serve/use only the best, you will not be as profitable. You have to be ok with that, as I am. There are moments that I wish I was more profitable because I work so hard and don't earn as much as I should but I will not give up my integrity and commitment to sustainability for money.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: My biggest challenge is getting extensive visibility which is so needed to continue growth. That is a huge struggle as it’s very difficult to be heard by editors in the field etc. I constantly canvas the marketplace for connections with good people and support others in any way I can.

What are you most proud of about your business?: The fact that we are consistently told how much our customers love our products. I also love that we have longevity with our team and treat all employees super well.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?: I adore the industry, and I love good food and knowing where food comes from. Supporting other producers like me is just something that brings me tons of pleasure. As a food entrepreneur, I also  feel more connected to the planet and my community.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Jesse McBride, mademeals

Name:  Jesse McBride
Business/Location: mademeals, Northern New Jersey  and New York
Specialty: Sourcing ingredients from local farms that use responsible practices, and offering our clients a rotating menu of vegan, paleo and 'traditional' meal options each week

What problem does your business solve?:  By offering high quality, chef-prepared meals delivered to customers’ doors, we give people the opportunity to eat mindfully when they don't have time to cook. By working with local farms that use responsible practices, not only are our meals nourishing for the body, but they also help to regenerate our environment and support our community.

What makes your business unique?: In addition to working with local farms that use responsible practices, we will also be partnering with re-entry organizations in hiring formerly incarcerated individuals into our kitchen staff, offering them an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to their community. We will also be partnering with homeless and veteran shelters, as well as with organizations like City Harvest to reduce unnecessary food waste.

What’s your story?: mademeals was started in 2016 by Jesse McBride, a health and fitness enthusiast with a busy New York City career and lifestyle. After being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory gut condition, his diet of healthy, organically-produced ingredients was no longer an option, but instead a necessity.

Jesse sought ways to eat healthy while still maintaining a busy schedule. Finding few options for acquiring the organic, nutrient-rich foods that his condition required, he created mademeals as a way to help other busy, conscious eaters.

In 2016, Jesse met Chef Joe, who on his own journey towards health, lost a significant amount of weight, going from 355 lbs to 190 lbs. Jesse and Chef Joe  immediately clicked and began working together.

Since its inception, mademeals has been on a mission to source only the freshest, most local and almost entirely organic ingredients, provide convenient and sustainable food preparation and packaging, and give back to the community by hiring those in most need of job placement and training.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: Stick with your mission and persevere through the painful lows. Starting a business in the food space will always be a rough ride, but tenacity and consistency is key. Decide what parts of your mission are non-negotiable, where you will never take shortcuts. And stick to it.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?:  That starting a business takes time. At certain points, it may feel like you need to rush into a launch, or else you will be irrelevant. People will pressure you and ask you why you haven't launched yet. Only you will know when you're ready to launch. And following that gut feeling is crucial to building a successful business and community. Trust the process.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: Juggling everything at once, and wearing all the hats. In the beginning, there's no budget to hire a full-time administrative assistant, designer, or CFO. Finding friends/people in our network who are willing to help and bootstrap this operation has been instrumental to piecing things together, but it continues to be a challenge.

What are you most proud of about your business?:  We’re most proud of how we have pushed through so many hard times, and have created a sense of community and brand identity in our network. People who have seen our journey and understand how committed we are to our mission are unbelievably supportive, sharing us with their networks and giving us kind words that brighten the darkest days.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  I love it when I daydream something, and it actually happens, and I get to share it with people.  I love connecting with other food entrepreneurs and sharing our stories. I love the learning process.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Jessica Glass, In The Company of Yum

Name: Jessica Glass
Business/Location: In the Company of Yum / Montclair, NJ
Specialty: Seasonal pies and sweet potato goodness bars, AKA Yamgazms.  

What problem does your business solve?:  I provide sweet tooth satisfying treats and convenient meal prep options for individuals, families, or parties of 15 or less.

What makes your business unique?:  My experience as a barista, bartender, and server has made me an expert at creating food pairings that make taste buds happy. I also develop a seasonal menus and customize orders based on individual tastes. I'm a flavor profile geek!

What’s your story?: My Grandma passed down her coveted sweet potato pie recipe to me when I was around 12 years old and taught me her technique for cooking with your senses. A few years ago, one of my girlfriends sampled one of my pies and ordered a few to serve during the holidays. The rest is history, education, and evolution.  

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: Have a good team. This is not only necessary in your business but in your personal life as well. Not everyone will understand your vision, and many will find your ideas crazy at times, but I would not be where I am without an AMAZING support network of cheerleaders, taste testers, mentors, business associates, and friends.  

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?:  Your customers’ taste buds are not your own, and it may be possible that your best seller is something you didn't expect. Be open to different target markets and product variations,. Flexibility is necessary.  

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: Packaging and shipping is my greatest challenge. I am in the process of reviewing a couple designs so that my packaging is more uniform and recognizable. Shipping pies practically requires a whole army to ensure the crust and lattice work arrive safely, so I am exploring cost effective methods for doing so.

What are you most proud of about your business?: It has been incredibly rewarding to see my business coming into its own. I went from a self-taught baker and cook who started a business making one item, to having seasonal menus, participating in festivals, and collaborating with other entrepreneurs, I'm extremely blessed and very proud of all of the support that I have received throughout the years.  

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  I am in an industry that blends history, artistry, innovation, and love in the most beautiful way. It's a ton of work, but when you do something that you love, and it's all yours to boot, that's the end game right there.  Food connects us all, makes us smile, feel joy, and honor tradition. To be in a business surrounded by that, I know that I have all I need in my life!

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Andrea Rizvi, Boomerang Bites

Name: Andrea Rizvi
Business / Location: Boomerang Bites / Hoboken, New Jersey
Specialty: Boomerang Bites is an artisanal bakery on a mission. We make delicious all-natural baked goods from traditional Australian recipes and unique ingredients. Our aim is twofold - to share our love of our ‘yummo’ Aussie treats, and to serve as a platform for giving back to the local communities where our products are sold.

What problem does your business solve?:  Boomerang Bites offers customers a unique, intensely flavored, bite-sized alternative to traditional cookies, brownies and cupcakes. Our bites come in a range of distinct Aussie flavors – like our chewy golden oat, crisp raspberry coconut, gooey chocolate caramel and sticky date caramel. Each bite is sized to go perfectly as a small treat with a cup of coffee, or if like most of us, you can’t decide on just one flavor, they are small enough for you to enjoy them all!

What makes your business unique?: In addition to our unique product - bite sized Aussie baked goods - Boomerang Bites is passionate about our give back.  We donate 20% of our profits to local charities that our customers designate. We like to think of it as ‘boomerang goodness’ - because we all know, goodness is just like a boomerang…. it always returns.

What’s your story?: Like my baked goods, I am a transplant from the Land Down Under. I first arrived in America 20 years ago and built a career in international aid and development, met my husband and built a family. Though I love the US, I missed the treats from my childhood in Australia. As my four boys grew older, I started baking some of my favorite recipes for them, their friends and their families. The response was overwhelmingly positive. I knew I needed to share these special treats, but in a way that not only benefited taste buds, but that also helped serve those in our communities who are in need. Boomerang Bites was born in 2017 to do just this. Not only do these delicious fresh-baked treats offer a slice of Australia, but they are “goodness that gives back”.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: Just do it! It’s easy to be overwhelmed by what you don’t know when you are starting out. Though I have always loved baking, I was not a professionally-trained baker, and had always worked in the non-profit sector. I initially let this intimidate me. But it’s amazing what you can learn if you just try.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?:  I think the hardest thing when starting a business is to understand what you don't know.  There are so many things to learn - regulations, health and safety, e-commerce, marketing, packaging. Before launching I enrolled in a Hudson Kitchen Start-Up course which was really useful in getting an overview of the range and types of issues that I needed to consider in starting my business.  It not only helped me avoid some of the more common missteps, but it connected me to others at similar stages of their business development.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: I wish I was more savvy with social media as it so integral to most new business development today. At Boomerang Bites it’s definitely still a work in progress!

What are you most proud of about your business?:  I am proud of our product and our mission.  Prior to launching Boomerang Bites I put a lot of effort into recipe development to make sure the bites tasted and looked great, and were sized just right.  I am really proud of how they turned out and can't wait to share them more broadly. Mostly though I am proud to operate a business with a social conscience - one that treats its employees, customers and community with respect and kindness.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur? Though the work can be overwhelming, I love the freedom and creativity that comes with building a business. It would be hard to ever go back to an office job!

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Nicolle Walker, Nicolle Walker Personal Chef

Name: Nicolle Walker
Business/Location: Nicolle Walker, Personal Chef LLC / Bloomfield, New Jersey
Your Specialty: Weekly In Home Meal Service, creating healthy and well balanced meals for everyone who wants to eat well

What problem does your business solve:  Life is Busy!  And even those meal kits still require chopping and lots of recipe following.  It can be really hard to feed yourself and your family well when you are pressed for time.  I create complete, well rounded meals that only require you to preheat your oven, slide a dish in and set a timer.

What makes your business unique?: I offer an incredibly personalized service, based on you and your family's exact dietary needs and personal flavor preferences, created in your own home.  I don't mass produce and deliver food. Every single meal is made specifically for you, with raw products chosen for you, and created from start to finish in your home.  If you are trying to lose weight, or are following a specific food plan, I create meals that fit right in. Want your kids (or your spouse! or you!) to eat more fruits and veggies?  I can make that happen. Autoimmune disorders or food allergies? I have you (safely) covered! When you work with me, you get one on one attention to detail, and food that is tailored to fit your life.    

What’s your story?: I am a professionally-trained chef with 12 years of experience working both front and back of house in New York and New Jersey.  In 2015, after a long stint in operations, I realized that I desperately missed cooking, and quit my corporate job. As I began trying to find my next move, I kept meeting people who were struggling to feed themselves well, and many were frustrated with the meal kit options that had begun popping up.  I joked that I could come over and cook those meal kits if they wanted me to, and someone actually said SURE! We laughed, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this was a real thing. I wouldn't actually cook their meal kits, but I could cook similar meals, tailored to what they needed.   

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: Take on the work that you know you can do well, and pass on the offers that don't fit into your mission or business structure.  

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?:  I think I was really surprised by the level of intimacy that I would develop with my clients.  Food is an incredibly personal thing, and being in someone's home is a special privilege. The levels of trust involved are immense, and it creates intense relationships that take work to navigate and manage properly.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: Fear!  I am afraid of failing because who wants to fail?  But I am also afraid of the changes that come with success.  I am surrounding myself with strong successful women, at all levels of this business, and giving and taking strength from them.  I am pushing past the fear with real, concrete plans, lots of strategy, and a tribe who is cheering me on!

What are you most proud of about your business?:  I am incredibly proud of the impact I have on people's day to day lives.  I have helped my clients change their health, even the health of their children, and recover from illnesses. I help people enjoy meals at home again.  I assist people in managing their busy lives, saving them time and giving them the ability to spend it with their families and loved ones.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur? I love all of the amazing people that I get to meet on this journey!  Not just the other food professionals (who are absolutely amazing by the way!) but everyone.  I have met the most amazing and inspiring people on this journey, and I just want to soak it all in!

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Atlas Manuel Amante, Ninuno

Name: Atlas Manuel Amante
Business/Location: Ninuno Dinners /Jersey City, New Jersey
Specialty: Recreating traditional Filipino dishes and showcasing cuisines from different indigenous tribes of the Philippines

What problem does your business solve?:  My food business helps diversify Filipino food in America.  We highlight, promote, and preserve the cultures and cuisines from various indigenous groups of the Philippines.   

What makes your business unique?: Ninuno dinners provide an intimate dining experience that is culturally immersive and helps reconnect the Filipino diaspora in America.

What’s your story?: I was born in the Philippines and immigrated to New Jersey at the age of 12.  First, I lived in Somerville and then moved to Jersey City in 1997. For years, I worked in the healthcare industry and in 2013, I found the courage to quit my job at a national long-term care pharmacy. It was one of the scariest times in my life, amidst other challenges. At that point, I made a promise to myself that I will only do things that are meaningful to me. I went back to the Philippines with my grandaunt Felina whom I fondly call Ninang, which means Godmother in my language, Tagalog. She was in her late stage of dementia. While I cared for her, I took the opportunity to go back to the things I used to love - painting, hiking, photography, writing and cooking. I also took the chance to learn new things, such as website development and videography. After my Ninang’s passing, I was lost again. I climbed and hiked mountains in the Philippines, took a trip to rural areas of Japan, went to San Francisco where a bluebird taught me patience, and I just kept putting in the work to learn to embrace the uncertainties. Finally, I returned to New Jersey and decided to get a cooking job at an assisted living facility. But I was hungry to learn more. I attended the International Culinary Center while working at Maharlika (East Village) and Eataly (Flatiron), and later at Talde Brooklyn. Currently, I am embarking on this journey to start my own pop-up dining experience called Ninuno Dinners that will showcase cuisines of indigenous tribes of the Philippines. I strongly believe that this will help diversify the Filipino Food Movement in America, especially here in the east coast, and transcend beyond a trend. This also will help recognize and preserve the culture of my ancestors and a chance for the Filipino diaspora to reconnect. I am still on the threshold of things, still struggling, but very optimistic and hopeful for the future.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: I often feel that I don't have the merits to give advice to another food entrepreneurs for each has their own journey.  What I could share is my own experiences. One of them is how I am learning to open myself to receive all that the Universe can teach me starting with connecting with nature.  For instance, during my sojourn in San Francisco, I would wake up in the morning and drink my coffee on the balcony overlooking San Bruno mountain. Next to the balcony is an apple tree.  One morning, a bluebird perched on a branch right above a cluster of four apples. It nipped one of the apples and let it fall to the ground. The bluebird flew away. I thought that did not make sense.  After a couple of weeks, the same bluebird perched on the same branch. Then dove to the ground. I looked down and realized the same apple that fell has rotten. The bluebird then picked the worm with its beak and flew away.  I pondered it and stepped back. Then I realized, how the bluebird has taught me to keep putting in the work and be patient so when the right opportunity arrives, I am ready! I also learned from a farmer that he sacrifices an apple to allow the other three in a cluster to grow more productively, a process called thinning - removing excess fruit to allow space for remaining fruit to grow large, and to allow flower initiation and development for the following year. As I stood there, blown away by this realization, then a tiny bluebird feather fell right at my feet.  I was overwhelmed by gratitude!

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  I wish I had known more about the logistics and the complexities that come with ensuring your business is in compliance with city regulations and processes.  

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: One of the greatest challenges in starting my business is learning to embrace the uncertainty and dealing with self doubt. I reiterate simple mantras such as, "no matter how far I may have descended in Life, the Universe provides twice the Space for my Ascension."  I speak to my Spirit Guides and ancestors. I also share my thoughts and feelings with my best friend Maureen of Jersey City Gardens.

What are you most proud of about your business?:  I am most proud of the people who have been very supportive of my journey.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  I love it when I daydream something and it actually happens and I get to share it with people.  I love connecting with other food entrepreneurs and sharing our stories. I love the learning process.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Jeri Freeman and Lauren Ohl, Stack Happy Sweets

Name: Jeri Freeman & Lauren Ohl
Business/Location: Stack Happy Sweets / Montville, New Jersey
Specialty: Creating unique and custom flavor combinations of bite-sized desserts for special occasions

What problem does your business solve?:  Other desserts box you in to one flavor.  By offering a variety of petite treats, our customers enjoy many flavors with less guilt.

What makes your business unique?: We pride ourselves on our unique flavors and re-imagining traditional desserts into delicious Stack layers.  Our menu features 8 Signature flavors, 4 Nutty flavors and 4 Extreme flavors, plus we have more than a dozen special flavors we introduce throughout the year depending on the holiday or our mood.  We call them New Stacks On The Block and they always garner much excitement on social media.

What’s your story?: We met years ago when our oldest sons became friends.  As we chatted during drop off/pick up, we discovered we were both foodies looking for something to do with our free time.  Our conversations led to several food business ideas, and we settled on desserts as it seemed to leverage our skill sets. Plus we had five kids and two husbands who were happy to be our taste testers!  

The first flavor we created was Uptown Brownie (brownie topped with peanut butter and sweet & salty pretzels) for our family of sweet & salty peanut butter lovers.  It was a huge hit! After perfecting the brownie recipe, we moved on to creating our other unique flavor bases like Lime Blondie, Coffee Bar and Snickerdoodle. After many combinations and permutations, we settled on 10 flavors to showcase at a local marketplace.  There we got some “real” customer feedback along with a bunch of orders. Soon we were on our way to satisfying other sweet tooths with our petite treats. Our boys are now driving and heading off to college, but we’re happy to be on this journey together and look forward to more sweet success.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: As Nike says "Just Do It".  Try not to over analyze things.  Talk to anyone and everyone - you'll learn so much and grow in the process.  People have been so generous with their expertise and industry knowledge (especially Djenaba!).  We have been pleasantly surprised by all the support we've received from family, friends and even strangers we've met along the way.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  There is so much we didn't know before heading down this path but we've been able to divide and conquer.  This has worked really well for us; as issues arise we discuss and tackle them. We knew we would have to communicate but how we communicate has become critical.  The key for us is to speak freely, listen carefully and keep our business objectives at the forefront of our decisions.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it: Packaging by far has been our biggest challenge.  There are so many components to it depending on which customer we're serving and we've gone down several unsuccessful paths.  We are tackling our packaging challenge by remaining focused on the key attributes (product protection, ease of use, flexible size, clean look) and working with partners who are committed to our success.  It has been an iterative process, but we're getting close to launching a solution for our corporate clients.

What are you most proud of about your business:  We are most proud when we see people's positive reactions upon tasting our Stacks.  While they may not know what to expect, their smiles are testaments that we're on the right track.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur? We both love being in the kitchen and handcrafting Stacks but the rest depends on who you ask.  Jeri loves the creative aspect to the business ... creating new flavors, developing the website and designing marketing materials.  Lauren loves the social aspects of the business ... heading up the sales efforts, networking and overseeing our social media presence.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Laura, Melanie & Robin Goffman, Bari & Betty's Gluten Free Baking

Name: Laura, Melanie & Robin Goffman
Business/Location: Bari & Betty's Gluten Free Baking / Montclair, New Jersey
Specialty: Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix

What problem does your business solve?:  To allow every person intolerant of gluten the opportunity to create, savor and share a delectable treat with their gluten free and non gluten free loved ones

What makes your business unique?: Made with everyday ingredients, our easy-to-use Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix produces a delectable golden brown crust that everyone—novice or professional, with or without a gluten intolerance—can enjoy. It is versatile for everyone and can be made sweet, savory, vegan or dairy free.

What’s your story?: We believe baking and savoring delicious treats encourages celebration and breeds happiness. However, those intolerant of or allergic to gluten often miss out on these culinary adventures. We started Bari & Betty’s to change that. Baking is a part of our family. Not only because dessert is our favorite part of the meal, but because baking is an experience like no other. It engages your senses, while being physical, creative and calming. We love gathering in the kitchen to mix batter or roll out dough into perfect circles of splendid pie crust. But when a family member was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, baking became a challenge—a misadventure often ending in disappointment. So began our quest to create a gluten free treat for everyone to enjoy. After a decade and a million flour tornadoes later, we perfected the art of gluten free pie. Now, we’re taking our Gluten Free Pie Mix to the streets.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: The food industry is over saturated. There will always be competition, but never another you. Don’t let the over saturation stop you from moving forward. Believe in your product and you will find a way to differentiate and make it happen. Talk to everyone you possibly can and say yes to every opportunity—even the ones that may seem small. Also, sometimes you have to make money—within reason, of course!

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?:  Things happened fast—faster than we thought. This means that not every decision needs to be a big one.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: Our greatest challenge has been finding the best outlet for us to get the word out there. We have been working at overcoming this by trial (of everything) and error.

What are you most proud of about your business?:  We are proud of the quality of our product and the responses we have received from both customers and culinary professionals.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur? The best part of this venture is getting to share with the world a product that we believe in. The most exciting part is considering the endless possibilities of the future.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Steve Smolders & Jenny Ramirez, The Belgian Plate by Waffle It & Co.

Name: Steve Smolders & Jenny Ramirez
Business/Location: The Belgian Plate by Waffle It & Co. / Harborside Financial Center Atrium, Jersey City, New Jersey
Specialty: Creating Belgian or European-inspired cuisine

What problem does your business solve: We solve the problem of finding good food because we have it. We have amazing food!

What makes your business unique: Our business includes a true Belgian chef who is French-cuisine trained.

What’s your story:  We are a husband and wife team who first opened our business as a pop-up back in October 2016, and it was called Waffle It & Co. When we were accepted to be part of Pop-Ups @ Harborside in March 2017, we added an additional name to it—The Belgian Plate by Waffle It & Co.  because our menu was much much larger, and we wanted everyone to know we offered more than waffles. We still participate in many local Jersey City pop-up events.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: One piece of advice we would have for others... is to develop thick skin... there can be many setbacks in all the areas of food business and you just have to put one foot in front of the other and keep on keeping on. Smile through the disappointments and fully be present for the glorious moments.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business: Wish we knew more about the politics of the business overall.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it: Our greatest challenge is finding more time and another Steve!

What are you most proud of about your business: We are so proud of us, our team, our families and our customers. Our hard work and sheer determination have gotten us where we are, but we are completely cognizant that we couldn't have done it alone. We have great customers and a great team. We appreciate them ALL!

What are you most proud of about your business:  We love being part of such cool events where we get to meet such nice people looking for some good food. Foodies Unite!

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Brian Juarbe, My Inner Fat Kid is Out

Name: Brian Juarbe
Business/Location:  My Inner Fat Kid is Out/New Jersey & New York
Specialty: Heightening my followers’ senses with captivating images and videos

What problem does your business solve?: [My business] introduces my followers to a variety of dishes and restaurants they might not have already known about.

What makes your business unique?: I offer a wide variety of cuisines with high quality photos and videos. focusing solely on my clients and their food.

What’s your story?: I've always enjoyed going out and finding new dishes and restaurants to try. I would usually take photos of my experiences for my personal social media page. After a while I wanted to separate my personal page from my food experiences. So I was persuaded by friends and family to start a food page to share my food adventures. I initially did it for fun with no expectations and really didn't anticipate things to develop like they did. Quickly, I grew a following and restaurants started reaching out to me more and more. I had invites from all types of restaurants and cuisines. Before I knew it, I was being featured in magazines and newspapers for my work. I've been blessed with some amazing experiences. I've also had the opportunity to meet some great chefs and restaurant owners thanks to My Inner Fat Kid is Out.  

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: Have a clear strategy and vision as to what you want your business to portray.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?:   I wish I had known how much fun it would turn out to be because I would have started it a lot sooner. I've had some amazing experiences and opportunities that probably wouldn't have been possible without it.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: Finding time to visit all the different restaurants that I'm invited to is my biggest problem. I try to schedule them and keep a calendar so I don't lose track.

What are you most proud of about your business?:  The quality of my work. I take pride in capturing photos and video that deliver that wow factor for my followers.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  It's given me the opportunity to experience all types of cuisines that I normally wouldn't get the chance to try.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Steph Wong, WHOS Gluten Free

Name: Steph Wong
Business/Location: WHOS Gluten Free / Jersey City, New Jersey
Your Specialty: We specialize in gluten-free and allergy-friendly baked goods and meals. Our goal is to reduce the amount of sugar and eliminate additives that are in our everyday foods. We want to create healthier baked goods and foods that will nourish our bodies instead of doing harm.

What problem does your business solve?:  We are the only dedicated gluten-free bakery in Jersey City. We wanted to create a safe and worry free place for people with Celiac disease to eat. With all of my allergies/food restrictions, I understand how hard it is to go out and enjoy a meal with friends and family. This is where you can have a multitude of allergies and still find something to eat and feel satiated.

What makes your business unique?: We are a gluten-free bakery dedicated to providing healthier baked goods and foods.  

What’s your story?:  I was a production manager for an international advertising agency - and constantly on the road - flying to 2 cities a week at times. I noticed that none of the airports had any healthy gluten-free foods. All of the foods were filled with processed ingredients and tons of sugar. I started baking my own granola to take on the road. After baking several batches of granola and sharing them with coworkers and friends, I felt like I had something special. I signed up for my first market in Hamilton Park to test out  my recipes, and I received amazing feedback. After talking it over with a few friends, in December 2013, I formed WHOS and filed all the necessary paperwork to launch my business. We had our first real market as WHOS the following April with the JC Project Earth festival. I made some great friends from that market and strengthened my other friendships. Shelly Menchavez has not only become my best friend through this, but a wonderful business partner, who has helped turned this company into something more. Shelly is a nurse and Clinical Research Coordinator at Newark Beth Israel and a yoga teacher. I quit my job at the beginning of February 2018 to put 100% of my effort into WHOS. Running a bakery and having a full-time job and a life is hard, but in the end it's worth it.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs:  Being a food entrepreneur is tough, and there is not a lot of money in it at the beginning. But as we all know, money isn't what makes us happy. I see more and more people leaving their 9-to-5s for their dream, and it’s a sign, if you're not happy doing what you're doing for 75% of your day, it doesn't matter how much money you make. Spend your life being happy, and if that means, making brownies, or opening a deli, then do it!

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?:  The winning lottery numbers!   Seriously though, when you talk about your ideas and dreams with people, you are bound to get tons of advice, some good and some unwanted. You will hear all the downsides of opening something and all the negativity and fears from those who are afraid; don’t discount any of this information. Take it into consideration. This will help you along the way, especially when you hit a wall and feel like quitting. Remember what your rebuttal was to those comments..."this is a bad idea, you're crazy for doing this"...and remember why you started this in the first place.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?:  Money is always the greatest challenge; trying to figure out how you're going to fund something this big. Do I take a loan out? Personal or business? Then learning banks don't help startups until you’re 5 years in. To me, after 5 years, you're not really a new business anymore. I kept my 9-to-5 to help pay for the bills for the bakery. I've pulled money out of my 401K to purchase equipment and to pay off debt.

Jealousy is not high on the list, but is worth mentioning. It is easy to watch other cafes, bakeries, restaurants open up and have nicer things, a better design, better location. It is easy to get jealous or envious. When you are working hard to stretch your dollar and you see another business come in your neighborhood, and open its doors, just remember what sets you apart. Make your business yours. You can never compete with someone who has the cash flow to open a business and hire a ton of staff. But your customer service, the quality of your food will speak more than some shiny new business with no personality.

What are you most proud of about your business?:  We are proud of how far we have come and the quality of our food.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?:  I love being able to feed people, pure and simple.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: April Harris-Holmes, Keeping You Sweet

Name: April Harris-Holmes
Business/Location: Keeping You Sweet / Hawthorne, NJ
Specialty: Keeping You Sweet specializes in creating delectable all natural cheesecakes that are gluten-free with no added refined sugar.  We are local, small batch, non-GMO and free of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

What problem does your business solve:  We help people overcome special dietary needs when they are looking for products that are gluten-free and low in sugar.

What makes your business unique: We offer uniquely-flavored cheesecakes like sweet potato, pina colada, banana pudding, apple cinnamon, and matcha.

What’s your story:  I started the company shortly after my Mom's passing. She was a caterer and an awesome cook and baker.  One of the things that gave me peace and comfort during my time of grief was using her recipes to bake. Sometimes, I would bake large quantities and give them to organizations to use as fundraisers. I participated in a fundraising event called, "A Taste Of Newark" at NJPAC and after the event I received a strong demand for my all natural sugar-free cheesecakes. I asked a friend, who owns a food business, if he could refer me to a restaurant or store that might carry my cakes for the holidays. He suggested I reach out to a contact that he had for Newark Whole Foods that was going to be opening in March 2017.  I never in a million years thought that I would be in a supermarket, let alone Whole Foods. To make a long story short, they invited me to partner with them in the Newark store, and 2 weeks later offered me 5 more stores. And now less than a year later, I am proud to have my product in 15 stores, including 2 in New York.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs:  This is a really demanding business, and you have to be physical and mentally prepared for it.  

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  I wish I had asked for more help with the food prep and packaging.  I nearly killed myself trying to do it all.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it:  I am challenged to grow, and I am not sure that I am overcoming it, but I am going with the flow.  I am learning not to take on more than I can handle.

What are you most proud of about your business:  The product has received excellent consumer feedback, and I am proud of that.  I am also so proud to see it on the shelves when I walk into the store.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  Food is beautiful to me, and I love the creative process the most.  I particularly love creating new flavors.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Tina Rivera, Baking Mama

Name: Tina Rivera
Business/Location: Baking Mama/Hoboken, New Jersey
Specialty: I specialize in French Macarons but also sell tons of other baked goodies like cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.

What problem does your business solve: I solve one's cravings for sweets. We also have gluten-free and vegan items at Baking Mama.

What makes your business unique: Baking Mama is unique in a sense that I do not have any “attic-hidden recipes.” I bake just like how your mom would bake — full of dedication and love for everything that comes out of the kitchen.

What’s your story:  I started baking in 1994, a few months before my son was born. I was working in a bank and the pregnancy downtime provided me with the opportunity to learn something new. In this case: baking. I became a regular visitor to baking supplies stores. I marveled at baking books, magazines, and learned along the way. I was hooked. Through the years, I’ve made hundreds of deformed macarons, burnt cookies, super-mushy cupcakes, tilting cakes, and more. I wanted to learn how to bake, so I baked.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs:  Study all aspects of running a food business. It is not just about cooking or baking. There's more to it.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  I wish I had known that running a business is not a 9-to-5 job. You will even dream about it in your sleep.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it:  Introducing Baking Mama to a wider audience is a challenge. We are trying to overcome it through social media.

What are you most proud of about your business: I am most proud of Baking Mama's products, and the hard work that goes into creating them.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur? It is not just being a food entrepreneur but working on something that I’ve long wanted to do — to bake not just for my family but for others as well.  

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Lori Tishfield, Natural Talent

Name: Lori Tishfield
Business/Location: Natural Talent / Jersey City (operating in New York, New Jersey, and Chicago)
Specialty: Natural product promotions completely staffed with actors

What problem does your business solve: We provide flexible and fun "survival jobs" for actors that enable them to use their performance skills to promote the hottest new products in the natural foods industry. For our clients, we provide reliable, outgoing, and charismatic staff who know how to "play" to a wide range of demographics and provide a positive experience with their brand. We perform your product!

What makes your business unique: We are completely comprised of actors. In the last 3 years, no one on our team has ever missed an audition or callback. Due to our commitment to support one another in our artistic endeavors, many of our members can be seen performing on Broadway, in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and we even have one member who has a recurring role in the new NBC pilot, Rise.

What’s your story: Well, I graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory, and I was on the hunt for a “survival job” that would give me the flexibility to audition. This was pretty hard to come by, so I hustled and ended up doing a ton of in-store demonstrations at Whole Foods. This was oddly perfect because it allowed me to combine my passion for food and acting training to sell a lot of product. In the process, I was approached by many natural food start-ups with proposals to do demos for them. At the time, I had too much on my plate, but I did have friends who needed the work....and then LIGHT BULB! Why not be the middle woman between all of these emerging brands and all of my actor-friends who need to find survival jobs? So in 2015, Natural Talent was born, and we are now one of the top recommended Whole Foods demo companies in the North East Region.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs:  Know your "why" because it will constantly be challenged.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  I wish I knew the time commitment involved...when I first started, I was working constantly... literally ALL.THE.TIME... always answering emails. Now, I've finally learned to shut off my brain during non-business hours... I think.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it:  Our greatest challenge is staying "woke" with what is trending. Looking at 2016 industry reports, natural food brands want to appeal to millennials and customers who shop online. As a response, we have launched a YouTube Channel called NOMtrepreneurs in which I showcase the hottest "NOMS" in the natural food industry and the entrepreneurs behind them.  Follow us on Instagram @NOMtrepreneurs.

What are you most proud of about your business:  I am most proud of the growth and reputation associated with my business. In the last 3 years, we have represented more than 60 brands (from startups to national brands like Organic Valley and Voss) and provided jobs to more than 50 actors. We now offer services beyond in-store demos — from major corporate events to boutique fitness studio customer activations....and now we have the YouTube Channel!

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  I mean... the free food isn't shabby....but other than that, it's a really supportive community and there's always opportunity for collaboration.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Syl & John Gonzalez, The Guac Spot Food Truck & Catering

Name: Syl & John Gonzalez
Business/Location: The Guac Spot Food Truck & Catering/New Jersey Area Mobile Business
Your Specialty: Deliciously Chunky Guac & Avocado Inspired Eats!

What problem does your business solve: We pride ourselves on giving our customers the freshest, unprocessed guacamole possible. Unlike most store-bought guacamole, which rarely resembles fresh avocado due to processing and pasteurization, ours is always made fresh, with chunky bits of hass avocado, tomato and onion, without preservatives or fillers.  

What makes your business unique: We scratch-make everything from our IPA BBQ Sauce and Drunken Jerk Seasoning to our Avocado Ice Cream & Avo-Bacon Cannoli Cream and even fresh bake our Avocado Chocolate Chips cookies on the truck throughout service. We scratch-make everything except our breads  We focus our creative energies on creatively incorporating avocado into the foods everyone loves, sometimes with a mexican flare, but ALWAYS with a twist of our own cultures, culinary experiences, and representing NJ. I believe we are also one of the few NJ food trucks that sells packaged product at farmers markets.  

What’s your story: My husband and I started our little business when we got tired of giving our all to unfulfilling corporate positions.  We started out just wanting to share our guac with people and get it into stores, but realizing the processing required to put it on a store shelf led me to getting creative in the kitchen to create prepared items to pair with and highlight the freshness of our guac.  Playing with avocado in other savory and sweet applications helped me round out our catering and food truck menu - and was just plain fun!

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs: PERSEVERE. This business is seriously hard work, but push on!  If you have a true passion for what you are creating, keep going, keep sharing, and don't get discouraged by inconsistent events or sales,  red tape you never expected, or competition. Take pride in your product and hold that tight to the core of your being so it is not easily lost in the face of inevitable critique or self-doubt. Know to expect the obstacles and push them back with continuous learning.  

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  I wish I knew the challenges of finding and working at a good commissary kitchen in New Jersey.  

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it: One major challenge is the time and expense required for food truck permitting and how differently food truck permits are handled from restaurants in NJ.  We apply and pay for permits in each town/city we visit, each time we set up to sell in most cities. In 2017, we spent 25 times what the average NJ restaurant spends on their annual permit.  There is a "ONE State ONE Permit" initiative in the works by the NJ Food Truck Association, and we are whole-heartedly supporting it and hope it builds momentum.

What are you most proud of about your business:  I am most proud of the reactions to our food that we get from our customers.  We have some very loyal customers who track us down for tacos or guac at every event we do.  It's challenging to build a such a dedicated customer base with a mobile business. It's been so humbling and validating!

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  I think my husband and I would both agree that we have met and continue to meet some of the most unique, yet like-minded people, creative people along the way of building this business.  I once heard someone say that 'a restaurant kitchen is like the island of misfit toys' and it feels good to be part of a professional community where you always fit perfectly.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Cait Sarazin & William Spencer, Bvster

Name: Cait Sarazin & William Spencer
Business/Location: Bvster, Jersey City, NJ and Brooklyn, NY
Your Specialty: Food/beverage podcast and blog with a focus on entrepreneurship, community roots, and the creative process

What problem does your business solve:  We interview chefs, influencers, food/beverage purveyors, and other leaders in the food/beverage industry to push past what is covered in traditional media outlets. Our Bvster tribe is made up of people who want to start a food/beverage small business, currently work in the industry, or simply love food and want to be more informed about local food/beverage companies. We create content that provides our listeners with a realistic picture of what it takes to run a successful small business from mouths of the people living and breathing it. We also strive to tell compelling stories that highlight how food/beverage entrepreneurs are also creatives and community-builders.  

What makes your business unique:  We approach food media from a different angle. William and I are both genuine and approachable people so it was important that this was a core part of the Bvster brand as well. Our goal is to make every member of our Bvster tribe feel like they are right there with us drinking a beer while we chat with our guest(s) on the podcast. So we always start out with a casual conversation between William and me related to the content we intend to cover. We’ve talked about everything from meat to bun ratios on burgers to my experience eating a seahorse in Beijing.  We are also a mobile podcast. This means we don’t record in a studio and most times are chatting with our guests at their location. So yes, you’ll hear dishes clanking or doors opening, but it adds a layer of authenticity you won’t find in many other food podcasts.

What’s your story:  Bvster originated in a Starbucks in Secaucus.  William found himself there contemplating where to go next in his career and whether to continue pursuing his passion for craft beer. As the only customer in Starbucks, when he heard the barista call out “Latte for Buster!”, he realized they were referring to him. At that moment, he took a leap and decided to buy the domain name Buster. However, it was taken so he chose Bvster.

Three months after Bvster’s inception, I met William at a freelancer’s union meet up. We shared many common goals and interests (beer, showcasing local communities, and a love for storytelling to start). Shortly after, we bumped into each other again at a local food conference, TechMunch. The conference focused on the future of food social media, especially podcasts, which inspired us to pursue creating a podcast together. We realized that between my analytical background and experience as a writer combined with William’s technical knowledge and network of connections from his photography career, we formed the perfect team.

One piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs:  Read Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” and know why you want to be a food entrepreneur. It is essential to have a deeper reason for starting a business that your audience can identify with on an emotional level.  Knowing your why allows you to identify a problem you can solve for your audience and create a concept to solve that problem.

What do you wish you had known before you started your business:  How successful wearing matching plaid shirts as a brand strategy would be. It started out as a joke because whenever William and I met up, we both often wore plaid shirts. So I mentioned to William about intentionally wearing matching plaid shirts to events/interviews as a way to brand ourselves. We’ve had so many people approach us because of the shirts, even on the street. It’s an instant conversation starter and people remember us because of the shirts.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it:  Getting both of us in the same place at the same time!  I live in Brooklyn and have a full time day job, while William lives in Jersey City as a freelancer. Oftentimes businesses we want to feature on the podcast can only meet during the day, which means I can’t physically be there. Oftentimes I will be on the phone with Will listening and adding follow up questions while Will records the live podcast. We pre-record me asking the questions in the advance so each podcast is consistent.

William and I are also in constant communication, which helps to bridge the gap. I joked with William recently that if I haven’t received a text from him in the last hour regarding a new idea, a new contact he made or update regarding the podcast, something is seriously wrong. We even Skyped while I was in jungles of Colombia about upcoming podcasts and our to-do list. It really helps that William and I work really well together and are able to effectively communicate with one and other. We both respect each other’s strengths and trust each other to take the reins and put our egos aside. For example, William is great making connections with people, whether it’s for the podcast or to expand our network and he also does all of the editing for the podcast. I trust his process and let him do his thing without micromanaging or questioning his methods which allows me to focus on other aspects of the brand.

What are you most proud of about your business:  The quality of the content that we create. I take the time to thoroughly research each guest we want to feature and craft questions to tell a different version of their story. This shows in the podcast as our guests respond with insightful, informative and thought-provoking answers. The content on Bvster bridges the delicate gap between providing useful information about how to start a business without getting so technical that we lose our listeners that simply have an appreciation for restaurants/breweries and want to hear the stories they have to tell.  

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?  The connections and relationships we make along the way. We get to grab a beer and a bite with some of the hardest working and passionate people all while chatting about mine and William and favorite topics-food and beverage. Everyone we work with becomes a part of the Bvster tribe. We love that we are able to give these small business exposure through our platform to tell their stories. And the stories they tell inspire other Bvsters to start their own business. So it’s this amazing cycle of sharing, learning and growing that we get to create. And we do it all while eating and drinking;, you can’t ask for a better job.

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.

Table Talk: Dawn Demry, The Little Hot Dog Wagon

Name: Dawn Demry
Business/Location: The Little Hot Dog Wagon, New York City and New Jersey
Your specialty: Homemade Organic Kraut Salad; our original recipe contains organic veggies and natural ingredients only.

What problem does your business solve?: My business promotes awareness about healthy lifestyles, healthy eating habits, creative cooking and entrepreneurship for all--adults and children.

What makes your business unique?: We had humble beginnings and amazing progression in a very short period of time. We had zero to minimal financing to start.

What’s your story?: I was laid off from The City University of New York due to budget cuts on July 30, 2017.  In early August 2017, I established my mobile food wagon and was vending in NYC and NJ.  Listening to customers, I pitched my product to Harlem 125th Street Whole Foods Market and was accepted into their vending program.  I then pitched my product to Key Food Market and have been blessed to stock my product in 200 Key Food Markets in NYC.

What is one piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs?: You MUST be in the "people" business before you can become a food entrepreneur. This means that you must love people, provide impeccable customer service, and have a passion for what you believe in.  

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?: I wish I had more patience, more trust in God and self-confidence.

What’s your greatest challenge in your business and how are you overcoming it?: Teamwork and Duplication. The progression of my business is fast and becomes challenging for one person. I have no one on my team who can duplicate my passion, commitment, drive, and visions. However, I am learning to develop a team that brings individual expertise in different areas that mimic my passion, commitment, drive, and vision. I am a work in progress.

What are you most proud of about your business?: I am most proud of its amazing product and the progression in a short period of time.  
What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?: I love seeing the look on people's faces, especially children, after tasting my product.  I enjoy hearing comments and reading them on social media.  I love all of the feedback, especially when my customers say how they wonder "how they ever lived without it."

Interested in being featured? Contact Us.