Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda.
Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Sure – I’m the founder of Earth Made Kitchen, a pop-up cooking school and food blog.
My passion is all things food, and I started cooking at a young age. While I was studying digital arts in university and later, working from Monday-Friday, I spent my weekends working at a cooking school for nine years in Toronto, Canada. Not only did I teach at the cooking school, but I learned a lot about cooking from other chefs, as well as the operations behind cooking classes, catering and events.
While I was working in LA in the summer of 2018, I got myself involved with various food non-profits during my free time, such as volunteering at Share-A-Meal and the LA Kitchen. I also did my first little in-person food demo, where I partnered up with SheCatalysts (https://shecatalysts.com/) and General Assembly (generalassemb.ly). I made power balls and provided the recipes in my stand. Although this demo was an experiment, the experience became the start of the creation of Earth Made Kitchen.
After about a year of planning and more experimenting, I launched Earth Made Kitchen in December 2019 – just a few months before the pandemic hit! I had plans to do online workshops, and I guess that plan manifested way too soon! I had two in-person workshops in Toronto and quickly pivoted online after that.
Now, I primarily teach cooking classes online and write on my food blog. My mission is to simply teach people to cook and to show them all the wonderful ingredients, healthy foods and diverse cuisines out there.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road! There are always ups and downs in the world of entrepreneurship. One struggle I’ve had was incorporating food services. I have done a bit of that throughout my journey, and for right now, I’m taking a bit of a pause from that (it’s rough!). The pandemic definitely added some surprises, and I’ve done a lot of pivoting throughout my journey. At the end of the day, I’m thankful and happy that I’m continuing to pursue my passion.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Earth Made Kitchen is a pop-up cooking school and food blog. Our classes are primarily based online through Zoom. We provide a variety of workshops – from private corporate classes to kids classes, interactive and non-interactive classes, and so much more. We have collaborated with other brands to create unique cooking experiences, both online and in-person. Some of our partners include Surplus (surplusgo.com), Stackt Market (https://stacktmarket.com/), and General Assembly LA.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think the food industry will grow in innovative and technological ways over the next 5-10 years. I think many restaurants, chefs, food entrepreneurs, etc., will become more and more involved with technology, such as creating an app for their business. In terms of food trends, I think there will be more “health-conscious” menus (plant-based, vegan, organic, etc.). I also find that people are becoming more community-oriented — this can lead to more growth and support for independent and local food businesses, whether it’s in-person or online!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://earthmadekitchen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthmadekitchen/
