Calling all mushroom enthusiasts… Did you ever think that a mushroom foraging hobby could lead to a career change and selling food products on Amazon?

That’s the story of Thomas Hong of vegetarian mushroom jerky company, Vegky. He went down a few other paths in life before getting into the food business. First, as an engineer, and most recently as the owner of Tiny Bathrooms, a company that sells tiny toilets for people who live in tiny houses. Seriously - I love that idea almost as much as I love shiitake mushroom jerky!

Today, Thomas is answering questions and providing what you’d expect from Shark Tank advice.

We answer questions anyone getting into the supermarket foods industry would need to know…

•       Can I sell food products on Amazon?
•       How do I start selling food on Amazon?
•       How do you meet supermarket buyers to give samples to?

So join us today as we dive deep into the mushroom food obsession and learn some food business advice along the way. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

• How Thomas’s love for mushrooms grew.  
• App recommendations for Mushroom Foraging.
• How he makes his mushroom jerky.
• The story behind Vegky and the key to its success.
• The evolution of marketing over the years.
• Working in a highly competitive industry.
• The ins and outs of product shipment.
• How to sell your food products on Amazon and in supermarkets.
• Getting started: how to develop a food product idea. 

QUOTABLES:

 “The truth is success is only given to maybe 10% of those who try and work their butt off starting a business. I'm working in that business. So it's a really competitive industry. I'm still figuring things out. I have to be adaptable and know when to pivot and how to pivot.” - Thomas Hong

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Get the guides…

TASTY SAUCES (YOU NEED ASAP) RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesaucebook.com

SOUS VIDE BEGINNERS RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesousvidebook.com

COOK WITH FRESH HERBS RECIPE EBOOK- https://cookwithfreshherbs.com

Speaking of mushrooms...

JENNA’S SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS WITH THYME RECIPE: https://sipbitego.com/sauteed-mushrooms-thyme

Imagine building a successful foodie career you love, and then having the pandemic come and suddenly wipe out your income. Imagine taking that disaster and turning it into triumph by using your time and skills in a way you’d never had a chance to explore, discovering new abilities and talents in the process. Imagine seeing your life change into something you’d hardly have been able to imagine possible, where you get to spend your working hours doing something you are completely passionate about.

That’s what happened with Caroline Chambers. She pulled herself up by her own bootstraps and, with a lot of hard work and persistence, built herself a solid career in recipe development. Then, overnight, all her contracts dried up. The pandemic hit and no-one had a marketing budget to spend on recipe development anymore. An empty schedule, and no money coming in, meant it was time to think different.

But if the big corporations weren’t willing to spend on recipes, the people were. Everyone quarantined in their homes without ready-made food suddenly wished they knew how to cook—and Caroline decided to help them. Through her website, a weekly newsletter, and eventually teaching online cooking classes with Airsubs, she soon became a go-to for people wanting to learn how to make simple, delicious meals with basic ingredients and a limited amount of time. In return, they payrolled her through subscription services and pay-per-seat online classes.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• What does a freelance recipe developer do?  
• How Caroline transitioned from catering to recipe development. 
• The business pivots made in light of COVID. 
• Juggling cooking classes with being a full-time mom.
• Building real online communities through cooking classes.
• Tips for joining an online cooking class.
• Creating multiple streams of income through new online platforms. 

QUOTABLES:

 “When you work for yourself especially, but also in a more traditional career, these opportunities just present themselves. And you either grab them or you don't. And that kind of decides where you wind up in life.” - Caroline Chambers

“Some people would find it awkward to talk about finances and talk about income and money. But I think especially women working in a non-traditional space, I think it's really empowering to share wins like this.” - Caroline Chambers

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Get the guide…

THE BEGINNER FOOD BLOGGER'S CHECKLIST -  http://foodblogchecklist.com/

TASTY SAUCES (YOU NEED ASAP) RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesaucebook.com

JENNA’S FAMOUS HOMEMADE PIZZA RECIPE - https://sipbitego.com/making-pizza-home-store-bought-dough/

JENNA’S SOUS VIDE RECIPES - https://sipbitego.com/recipes/sous-vide/

TASTY POTATO SIDE DISHES FOR WEEKNIGHTS - https://sipbitego.com/potato-side-dishes/

Who doesn’t love fudge, especially in the holiday season? When it comes to fudge making, there is no one else who loves it as much and does it just as well as Kelly Lupton. A life coach by day and fudge maker by night, Kelly Lupton turned her fudge making hobby into a labor of love that she shares with her closest friends and family every holiday season. Starting out with 20 pounds of fudge in her first year, Kelly now makes close to a whopping 100 pounds of pure, delicious fudge per year - all out of the pure love and enjoyment of it! 

So tune in to find out how this food hobby of hers came to be and why she fell so madly in love with it. And if you’re interested in trying out fudge making for yourself, Kelly shares her useful tips and advice for first-time fudge makers. Apart from her fudge making hobby, Kelly also gives us a glimpse of what she does as a life coach by showing us how being intentional and present can bring us so much joy - just like her fudge making does! Jenna and Kelly also chat about endless fudge flavor combinations and possibilities that will definitely have you craving for some by the end of the episode.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• How Kelly got into fudge making. 
• Kelly’s different fudge flavor combinations.
• How to get started on your fudge making hobby.
• The difference between having a hobby and doing work you love.
• The importance of being present and intentional.

QUOTABLES:

“I think this year was kind of our wake-up call that we're all living at lightspeed. And this is our call to wake up and slow down and take time for finding activities that we enjoy and do just because we enjoy them.” - Kelly Lupton

“Just be intentional and in the moment. That's the one thing that you need to teach yourself in order to make great connections with people, in order to make great connections for work, in order to do pretty much anything and do it well. Just live in that moment.” - Kelly Lupton

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Get the guide…

THE BEGINNER FOOD BLOGGER'S CHECKLIST -  http://foodblogchecklist.com/

TASTY SAUCES (YOU NEED ASAP) RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesaucebook.com

LOVE HERBS? AEROGARDEN STARTER GUIDE - https://growtastyherbs.com

SOUS VIDE BEGINNERS RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesousvidebook.com

COOK WITH FRESH HERBS RECIPE EBOOK- https://cookwithfreshherbs.com

WHERE TO EAT IN PORTLAND, OREGON - https://sipbitego.com/pdx-lunch-spots

Tasty Things To Try...

JENNA’S FAMOUS HOMEMADE PIZZA RECIPE - https://sipbitego.com/making-pizza-home-store-bought-dough

JENNA’S SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS WITH THYME RECIPE: https://sipbitego.com/sauteed-mushrooms-thyme

JENNA’S EASY PASTA SAUCE: https://sipbitego.com/tomato-sauce/

JENNA’S PEAR AND GOAT CHEESE PIZZA - https://sipbitego.com/pear-and-goat-cheese-pizza

JENNA’S BACON AND GOAT CHEESE STUFFED MINI PEPPERS - https://sipbitego.com/stuffed-mini-peppers

JENNA’S SOUS VIDE RECIPES - https://sipbitego.com/recipes/sous-vide

Do you love seafood enough to start a business around it? That’s what happened to today’s guest. Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls Owner, Dan Beck, is here to chat about everything lobster rolls with us. We go into detail about the ingredients that make the best lobster rolls and the difference between different regions and how they serve their rolls.

Dan also chats about the restaurant business during the pandemic with us and how he has adjusted to shipping fresh lobster roll kits by mail overnight to very, very happy customers across the country.

Let’s get to it. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The story behind Mason’s Famous Lobsters.  
• What you can get in the mail order kits.
• Jenna’s and Dan’s favorite lobster rolls
• What’s in the Basic Lobster Roll Kit?  
• How Dan got into the lobster business.
• Conservation efforts and fishing sustainably.
• How to put together a lobster roll. 

QUOTABLES:

“When you're doing something different than anybody is doing you always think to yourself, is this even gonna work? But we had a really great response here. And people were soliciting me to actually franchise!” - Dan Beck 

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego

Get the guide…

WHERE TO EAT IN PORTLAND, OREGON - https://sipbitego.com/pdx-lunch-spots 

TASTY SAUCES (YOU NEED ASAP) RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesaucebook.com

Check these out...

WATCH JENNA’S LOBSTER ROLL BY MAIL VIDEO - https://youtu.be/z8At4A_USIE

JENNA’S FOODIE’S GIFT GUIDE - https://sipbitego.com/gifts-for-foodies/

JENNA’S SOUS VIDE LOBSTER TAILS RECIPE - https://sipbitego.com/sous-vide-lobster-tails

Have you heard of a smash burger?? They’re exactly what you’d want when hunger strikes after a heavy night of partying. They have two layers of burger patties, melty cheese, and a soft bun to soak up all the juice.

Mike Aldridge, a trained chef who’s been a part of the pop up restaurant scene in Portland for years, is here today to chat about how to make the best smash burger.

And if you’re lucky enough to live in Portland, Oregon - the tasty food city I call home - or plan to visit it on your foodie travels, I have some exciting news. Mike is in the middle of opening the MidCity Smash Burgers Portland food truck where he will serve these delectable little burgers alongside friends and shakes. 

In today’s episode, Mike talks about how the idea hit him in New Orleans, burger recipe testing in his kitchen, selling smash burgers right in his own front yard, and what it’s like to start a food truck in PDX.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Mike Aldridge’s culinary journey.  
• What is it like to go to a pop-up dinner?
• The birth story of the Smash Burgers food truck.
• The process of opening a food truck.
• Managing a food business and social media.
• Tips on making the best burgers at home.
• Advice on starting your own food truck.

QUOTABLES:

“There’s nothing really like it - the rush of getting your ass kicked on a busy Friday night, getting done with it and looking at all your buddies in a line and smiling and laughing about it and telling stories later. It's cliche to say a little bit, but it's a lot of fun.” - Mike Aldridge

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Get the guide…

WHERE TO EAT IN PORTLAND, OREGON - https://sipbitego.com/pdx-lunch-spots

TASTY SAUCES (YOU NEED ASAP) RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesaucebook.com

SOUS VIDE BEGINNERS RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesousvidebook.com

Tasty Things To Try...

JENNA’S SOUS VIDE BURGER RECIPE - https://sipbitego.com/sous-vide-burgers

JENNA’S MAYO SEARED SOUS VIDE HAMBURGERS RECIPE - https://sipbitego.com/sous-vide-hamburgers-mayo-seared

JENNA’S GUIDE TO MAKING BURGER PATTIES - https://sipbitego.com/ground-beef-patties-for-burgers

Isn’t it fascinating how not too long ago, it was unthinkable that you could make a career out of a hobby or passion and work for yourself? And isn’t it crazy to think that people make a full time living as a food blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and YouTube food channel host? It sounds like a dream if you’re a foodie, but more people are doing it each day.

Today’s chat with stay at home mom turned food blogger Jessica Randhawa from The Forked Spoon hits on all of these notes. We chat about how she traveled a lot before settling down, with a huge emphasis on learning how to cook and use ingredients from other countries. We get into her transition to food blogging after staying home to raise her son. And how she started blogging 7 years ago, before food blogging as a career was an actual career path. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

• What is the Forked Spoon blog about?  
• Choosing career paths; How Jessica decided to become a blogger.
• Countries that Jessica draws her food inspiration from.
• Should food blogs just jump straight to the recipe?
• Dishes that are difficult to photograph.
• Living with a food blogger.
• Taking on brand sponsorships.
• Jessica’s food blogging process.
• Advice on starting your own food blog. 

QUOTABLES:

“The more time you put into it, the more content you put out, the more you reach out to your readers and followers, the more you'll get in return. And it's a lot. So you need to ask yourself, do you want this to be a hobby? Or do you want this to be a job?” - Jessica Randhawa 57:21

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Get the guide…

THE BEGINNER FOOD BLOGGER'S CHECKLIST - http://foodblogchecklist.com/

Her parents had dreams of her going to law school, but at the last minute, Meredith Laurence decided to pursue culinary school instead.

Later, when the opportunity struck for her to become the head baker at the bistro she worked at, she was told women can’t lift the dough so they can’t be the baker. She didn’t take no for an answer, and began sleeping during the day and baking all night. She loved it.

Today, Meredith runs the food blog, Blue Jean Chef. In this episode, she chats with us about starting sourdough bread baking as a food hobby, what it’s like to write 8 cookbooks, how working for QVC propelled her online food career, how she currently teaches intimate cooking classes over zoom, and her future projects in launching kitchen products. We also chat about the air fryer and one of my favorite food hobbies - sous vide cooking.

If you’re thinking about getting into bread baking, or want to know what it’s like to have a vast career in the culinary world, this chat is for you. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Where Meredith’s culinary journey began - Bread Baking. 
• The ins and outs of baking sourdough bread. 
• Top tools for baking bread. 
• Which flours to use for sourdough. 
• Advice on sourdough baking. 
• The story behind the Blue Jean Chef blog and product line. 
• What goes down in Meredith’s online cooking class. 
• Meredith’s favorite things to sous vide. 
• Topics that Meredith’s cookbook covers. 

QUOTABLES:

“I think bread is magic. I just think it's so magical that you can mix basically three ingredients: water, flour, and salt and get something delicious. Like that's a little minor miracle every single day in your kitchen.” - Meredith Laurence

“It's something that people have done for centuries in all kinds of cultures. And when you get your hands on the dough, you're doing something that people have done for thousands of years before you and it's kind of cool. You know, it sounds a bit crazy, but you're almost like tapping into some kind of thing that's bigger than you.” - Meredith Laurence

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Get the guide… 

THE BEGINNER FOOD BLOGGER'S CHECKLIST - http://foodblogchecklist.com

SOUS VIDE BEGINNERS RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesousvidebook.com

My Weird Food Obsessions is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com) 

Are there secrets to becoming a food influencer on Instagram? Youbetcha! There are particular apps food Instagrammers use (they usually use a couple at a time!), tricks they have for always getting the best shot at the restaurant, and influencer etiquette protocol they have to follow to get invited back to restaurant openings and foodie events.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Erica Tafavoti of Bacon & Braids on how she started a food Instagram account in one city, then successfully moved it to another.

She shares her insider foodie influencer secrets on how she got noticed by predominant PR agencies and started to get on restaurant influencer lists for grand openings, menu launches, and chef special events.

If you’re looking for inspiration and actual steps you can take to hop on the Instagrammable food trends in your city, listen up!

HIGHLIGHTS: 

• How did the instagrammable food trend start?
• What food influencers look for in new food trends.
• How to become a food influencer.
• Photo tips + apps food Instagrammers use.
• What it's like to be a food influencer.
• Restaurants in PDX.
• What’s the most instagrammable food?
• How to get noticed by restaurant PR.
• How to get added to restaurant press lists.
• Tips for traveling as a food instagrammer.
• Getting paid influencer gigs.

QUOTABLES:

“Never hesitate to be the one that speaks up and says, I don't know what this thing is. And I think a lot of people are afraid to do that. Because they don't want to seem like they don't know food.” - Erica Tafavoti

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Thinking about food blogging? Or just getting started? Check out my new guide..

THE BEGINNER FOOD BLOGGER'S CHECKLIST -  http://foodblogchecklist.com/

Portland is for foodies! Get the scoop…

WHERE TO EAT IN PORTLAND, OREGON - https://sipbitego.com/pdx-lunch-spots

Cook up something delicious...

JENNA’S FAMOUS HOMEMADE PIZZA RECIPE - https://sipbitego.com/making-pizza-home-store-bought-dough

JENNA’S SOUS VIDE RECIPES - https://sipbitego.com/recipes/sous-vide

My Weird Food Obsessions is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com) 

Imagine all the fun you could have on a 32-acre hobby farm. You could live off the land - preserving produce like fresh tomatoes for sauce, collecting eggs from free range chickens, and making cheese from your very own goats.

If all this sounds like your cup of tea… if you’ve ever dreamed of ditching the ‘burbs or city life, and moving to the country, this episode with Deborah Niemann from Thrifty Homesteader is a must-listen.

She dove deep into the desire to increase her self-reliance on sustainable foods that were better for her family. Now, going out to dinner is a 3-hour ordeal, and so she’s learned to live her best foodie life with all the ingredients at her fingertips.

Along the way, Deborah has been highly sought after as a sustainable living blogger, author, online teacher, and an all-around know-it-all when it comes to helping goats give birth. I don’t want to give it all away - but she’s given birth to over 600 goats!

So come join us as we chat chickens, goats, farming, cooking like Julia Child, and so much more. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• How Deborah started and mastered her hobbies. 
• Moving from the suburbs to the country. 
• The trials and errors of running a farm. 
• Her journey from being a hobby farmer to an educator, blogger, and author. 
• How to start out on making your own goat cheese. 
• Where to start to get more connected with food and farming. 
• Which animals to start with if you want to try farming.

QUOTABLES:

“I've been doing it all for eight years but I still felt like I didn't know that much. But compared to somebody who was where I was eight years ago, I had definitely learned a lot. Like I said, you just keep learning.” - Deborah Niemann

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Get The Guide…

TASTY SAUCES (YOU NEED ASAP) RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesaucebook.com

LOVE HERBS? AEROGARDEN STARTER GUIDE - https://growtastyherbs.com

SOUS VIDE BEGINNERS RECIPE EBOOK - https://freesousvidebook.com

COOK WITH FRESH HERBS RECIPE EBOOK- https://cookwithfreshherbs.com

Tasty Things To Try...

JENNA’S PEAR AND GOAT CHEESE PIZZA - https://sipbitego.com/pear-and-goat-cheese-pizza

JENNA’S BACON AND GOAT CHEESE STUFFED MINI PEPPERS - https://sipbitego.com/stuffed-mini-peppers

JENNA’S FAMOUS HOMEMADE PIZZA RECIPE - https://sipbitego.com/making-pizza-home-store-bought-dough

My Weird Food Obsessions is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com) 

Food blogging tips from a 10+ year food blogger? Yes please!! In today’s episode, you’ll meet Sarah Cook from Sustainable Cooks. One of the wildest things from this interview is learning that she almost made the decision to walk away from food blogging a few years ago. 

Thankfully for her adoring readers, Sarah decided to level-up her skills and learn food blog SEO techniques to take her sustainable living blog to the next level. 

So join us today as we chat with Sarah about canning food, gardening, chickens, and how all her food hobbies led to blogging as a career. We dive deep into how she started her food blog under a different name and transitioned to the current name, Sustainable Cooks. How she stayed somewhat anonymous online so her coworkers didn’t know she was developing a blog outside of work. And what finally pushed her to pursue food blogging full time. There’s a ton of good stuff packed in this episode. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Transitioning from recruitment to food blogging.  
• Learning blogging tools from scratch.  
• Finding balance in a hectic life - blogging, gardening, parenting, and more. 
• The process of canning and how to get started. 
• How she turned blogging into a full-time job. 
• Advice on getting into the food blogging business.

QUOTABLES:

“I used to joke that I couldn't afford therapy, and so it was my way of doing therapy - just writing online.” - Sarah Cook

“Just make sure that whatever you're posting about, whatever you're writing about, it's got to be something you love, because it's gonna be really thankless for a while.” - Sarah Cook

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - SHOW NOTES: https://myweirdfoodobsession.com/

MY WEIRD FOOD OBSESSION - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myweirdfoodobsession/

SIP BITE GO: https://sipbitego.com/

SIP BITE GO - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sipbitego/

Get the guide…

THE BEGINNER FOOD BLOGGER'S CHECKLIST - http://foodblogchecklist.com

My Weird Food Obsessions is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com)