Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Aguilar.
Jessica, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always had an affection towards being in the kitchen, it dates back as long as I can remember. Some of my first memories include holding the fork to press into peanut butter cookies as they came out of the oven and watching marshmallows meltdown with pockets of butter bubbling up around them. I am fortunate to come from a family that encouraged my love of feeding people, and a group of women who were more than happy to share their secrets along the way. One of those women was my Aunt Sue, my father’s sister. We didn’t see her as often as other family but at her house was always an entire counter filled with home baked goods to welcome us for our visit. Front and center you could count on there being a tray of fresh Rice Crispy Treats, and she always left them uncut so we could come get a chunk, the size of our choosing, at any time. Funny how those Rice Crispy Treats would always be the first thing to disappear, and when they did, she would call me into the kitchen to whip up another batch. All the while guiding me and talking me through her process on my favorite dessert. Over the years I continued to have a love of feeding people and fell into the regular habit of making treats to take into my office job and also send with my husband to his…and thus…our Cookies and Crispies Rice Crispy Treat was born.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road taken to get where I am today was not always a smooth one. I knew as a very young child I wanted to be in culinary arts, as early as six years old I can remember making a case for culinary school and looking through the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) pamphlet. Although my family supported my love of baking and being in the kitchen, they ultimately wanted me to pursue a more traditional career and considered a four years university a more suitable path for a successful career. Even after I worked in a bakery during the early hours before school and switched high schools in order to be able to enroll in culinary courses, I went on to study at a state university, all the while working for my roommate’s mom who was a caterer. This trend of cooking “as a side job” became my mentality and I had decided that being in a kitchen was never going to be a full-time thing for me, but I could continue to love it and do it for the people I love.
That self-doubt became my biggest roadblock; I had convinced myself that I would have to work full time at a “real job”, although if I truly evaluated my favorite part of any of my jobs, it always entailed making treats for the people I worked with. I bounced around a lot, career-wise, prior to starting Bunch of Munchies, and that was tough. Initially, I couldn’t figure out why nothing fit, but the path I took ultimately led me to where I am and gave me the tools and confidence to do so. I still have days that I have to remind myself that what I am doing constitutes being a “real job” but now it’s mostly because I get to enjoy my work; and I enjoy it because I have been doing it for over two decades without even recognizing that it was work.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Bunch of Munchies – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We are Bunch of Munchies – If you’ve got the munchies, we have got the cure! We are an Orange County based business dedicated to making the best home-style rice crispy treats you will ever taste. Each bite is marshmallowy and gooey, with just the right amount of crunch from the crispies. We have spent countless hours perfecting our recipes and crispy to marshmallow ratio, adding in special ingredients and mixing up toppings. Our menu currently has ten amazing flavors ranging from childhood throwbacks to modern twists, and we are constantly trying out new combinations. All of our trays are made homestyle and by hand with lots of love. Once the crispies are set, we cut them into 2-3 bite size squares and package them into six piece packs for your convenience; rather than getting a giant rice crispy treat that is hard to manage. And, since they are already cut, they are easy to share and perfect for kids of all ages. We look forward to expanding our line to include a Bunch of Munchies of various types in the future, but for now, our Rice Crispy Treats are a must try! We also offering catering and corporate branding for our trays.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
LA is the land of stories. It doesn’t matter if it’s the cashier at the grocery store or the rich guy valet’ing his Bently, everyone has an amazing story. I love meeting all the different people in LA and hearing their stories.
I think everyone automatically assumes the traffic is the worst thing about LA and I would have to agree. That’s why we have taken our munchies to the food delivery platforms so you don’t have to leave your couch to get your treats…
Pricing:
- Each pack is $5.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bunchofmunchies.com
- Phone: 949-238-8998
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunchofmunchies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebestmunchies/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bunch-of-munchies-newport-beach
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