Check Out Brenna Hirshorn’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brenna Hirshorn.

Hi Brenna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thank you for featuring me! My name is Brenna, others know me as Bren. I was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida but didn’t find my love for health, fitness and food until my undergrad years at the University of Alabama. I started enjoying running, hiking and cooking at home as there weren’t many healthy options in the town of Tuscaloosa. I created a website for my recipes, photos and travels. While planning my move to Los Angeles, I worked in a gourmet market selling craft beer, wine and specialty goods. After graduating, I moved to Los Angeles in January 2017 and began working in hospitality. My first job out of college was in guest services at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt hotel. I knew it would be the perfect job to meet new people and learn the city inside-out. After taking some time to travel through Hawaii, South America and Europe, I arrived home and fell in love with a matcha protein bar that I found in the late Matchabar Silverlake. Sending love to the protein bar founder led me to my next business venture; working in sales for a CPG startup called Kioko. It was surreal to see Kioko bar, based out of NYC, sold in cafes throughout LA simply stemming from my initial love for the product.

I was fortunate to work as an assistant in office alongside brilliant chefs and creatives for the famous Tartine Bakery in their DTLA location. I enjoyed editing the menus, talking about and taking photos of food. After that location closed down is when I became a concierge at the 1 Hotel. My favorite part about my time spent there was connecting with others and recommending restaurants. I created “restaurant of the week” for the team, built relationships with other restaurants and hotels in the city and was a member of the LA concierge association.

When the pandemic hit and I was furloughed (twice) I left my Hollywood apartment of 3+ years and moved to Santa Monica. I said goodbye to my concierge life and picked up on cooking at home and documenting it on my food Instagram. I went back to school for holistic nutrition and began working and brainstorming with other brands like Sweet Potato Awesome and became a brand ambassador for Rishi tea. In April, I started working in the office at a low-key restaurant you may have heard of called Élephante. This year has been full of connecting with others, eating lots of great food and sharing my love for hospitality with friends and strangers alike. As the year comes to a close, I have enjoyed reflecting on my accomplishments. I’m really looking forward to 2022 as I am preparing to work on some exciting new projects.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hospitality is an exciting industry to be working in. As an adaptable individual I enjoy embracing change. Lots of establishments have closed down, reopened or rebranded. I have found that prioritizing self-care is the recipe to excel and it stays my top priority. Whether it’s yoga, a walk in the park, meditation, journaling or creating, I keep my focus on anything that fills up my cup.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a certified foodie specializing in photography, marketing, recipe development and connecting with others. I choose to fill each day with intention and passion as I feel time and energy are our greatest currencies. Between highly requested restaurant recommendations, Élephante reservations or nutritional advice, I strive to always stay present and calm. Friends would say I’m known for my positivity, kindness and spontaneity. In addition, I’m known to be a walking restaurant encyclopedia as demonstrated on my food Instagram. Regardless of my past, current and future achievements, I’m most proud of my mindset and go with the flow mentality.

How do you think about happiness?
The ocean, music, traveling, yoga and running make me happy. Good energy exchanges with strangers make me happy. Surrounding myself with others who are inspired, grateful and passionate makes me happy. Trying new restaurants, cooking for others and hosting sushi parties with my incredible Japanese neighbor make me happy. Less time on social media and more time in the now makes me happy. What makes you happy?

Contact Info:

• Email: brennahirshorn@gmail.com
• Instagram:@brensfoodmoments