WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST?
I always start my day with a big glass of water, and a double shot of espresso! I typically don’t eat until quite late in the morning, but always enjoy brunch with friends; gluten-free waffles, and bacon!
IS THERE A CHILDHOOD COMFORT FOOD THAT YOU THINK ABOUT?
Homemade ice cream – my mom would pour all the ingredients into a hand-churned ice cream maker, and my sisters and I would take turns until we had homemade soft serve – delicious!
WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DO BEFORE YOU STARTED COOKING?
I love creating and the creative process; creating beautiful and delicious baked goods was a natural progression of who I am!
OF ALL THE FRENCH PASTRIES, WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE TO MAKE?
Éclairs.
IS THERE ONE FOOD THAT YOU’RE SECRETLY OBSESSED WITH HAVING AT HOME?
Popcorn. I always have it around; I love having a bowl of air-popped popcorn, and topping with all sorts of interesting flavors – my current favorite is using duck fat instead of butter, and finishing it with a light sprinkling of smoked paprika and salt.
IS THERE A FOOD THAT YOU DISLIKE?
Anything that contains gluten
IF YOU COULD FIND OUT ANYONE’S SECRET RECIPE, WHOSE AND WHAT WOULD IT BE?
No – I really enjoy seeing what other bakers develop and create – it is exciting being part of a creative community.
WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MEAL AND WHY?
My wedding – my partner and I worked with the chef to create the perfect meal for us – the entire wedding was centered around food, and it was perfect.My wedding – my partner and I worked with the chef to create the perfect meal for us – the entire wedding was centered around food, and it was perfect.
WHAT MENTORS HELPED YOU ALONG YOUR JOURNEY OF BECOMING A CHEF?
I have had so many mentors along the way, it is impossible to list them all! I discovered early on that simply asking – and I often didn’t know the questions I needed to ask – was the best approach. After all, the worst thing that can happen is they say no! I always try to work with two or three mentors at a time, always with far more experience and expertise than I have, in areas that I need to learn. Each mentor will have a different area of expertise, so I am not asking all of my questions and needs of one person. It keeps mentor relationships more balanced, as they are all busy professionals too! Right now I am working with a mentor who has vast experience in managing different people, creating company culture, and building careers for team members. Another of my mentors has decades of experience managing a very large manufacturing company with multiple locations. While many of my mentors have been in the food and beverage industry, many have also been from other industries. Many skill sets can be applied to business in general, not just food or technology! Think about what skill or skill set you want to learn, and then think about who you can learn it from.
THROUGHOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY, HAVE YOU NOTICED A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KITCHENS THAT ARE RUN BY MEN VS. KITCHENS THAT ARE RUN BY WOMEN? IF SO, WHAT WAS THIS DIFFERENCE, AND HOW DID IT IMPACT THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT WHILST PREPARING FOOD?
When I started Nuflours, I was an industry outsider – I didn’t come through other kitchens, so I don’t have a personal experience like that. From my observations, bakeries are typically different then restaurants – bakers tend to be quieter and focused, whereas line cooks appeal more to extroverted personalities. From what I have heard from team members I hire from restaurants, sexism, and bad behaviors are still systemic in the industry, but it varies a lot from business to business. I believe that if you treat your team with respect and compassion, your team will treat you with respect and compassion, When people are happy, they create happy food – and you can taste it in the cake!
IT IS REALLY SAD TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING GLOBALLY. YOUNG ASPIRING CHEFS ARE LOOKING TO THEIR HERO’S HOW TO TURN PAINT INTO CREATIVITY. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO TURN THIS DIFFICULT TIME INTO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE?
Keep to a schedule! Even if you are out of work or working part-time, get out of bed, and create a routine for yourself! Right now it is so easy to slide into watching movies all day, eating french fries for dinner, and then going to bed and doing it again the next day. But you deserve more than that! Treat yourself with compassion. Find ways to be creative.
WHAT IS ONE POSITIVE AND ONE NEGATIVE EFFECT COVID-19 HAS HAD ON YOUR LOVE FOR MAKING FOOD?
Negative – my business took a big hit, as many of our customers are following quarantine. But…
Positive – Nuflours is an essential business, so I changed my team’s schedule to limit exposure, and we’ve been creating cakes and bread for customers through this. Our customers are so thankful that we are still open; and I am glad that we can still feed people!
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SPENDING YOUR TIME RECENTLY, HAVE YOU HAD TIME TO CREATE NEW RECIPES?
I’ve been focusing on keeping my business operational! My cake baker has been playing with some new flavor profiles and interesting combinations; and we might have some new cakes soon!
RESTAURANT CONTACT INFORMATION & SOCIAL MEDIA Seattle, WA, USA Nuflours Bakery address: 518 15th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112 e-mail: [email protected] phone number: (206) 395-4623 instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nufloursbakery/ website: https://nuflours.com