Meet Laurel Martin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurel Martin.

Hi Laurel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
A dozen years ago, I was a senior litigation associate on the track toward partnership at a well-respected law firm, and by all accounts, I should have been happy. But – shock, surprise – I wasn’t. Where I found happiness back then was in a little passion project that had me writing about food and wine and catering small dinner parties on the weekends. So, I put away the business suits and picked up a chef coat. I put myself through culinary school and eventually landed a gig as the Executive Chef for a ferry company, running four restaurants in two terminal locations in Southern California. Life was pretty good. And then came Covid-19. 

My restaurants were forced to shutter, and even after the lifting of some local health department restrictions, our unique locations and business model just made it infeasible to reopen. 

Suddenly, as a housewife with an abundance of time on my hands, I quickly found myself becoming overwhelmed by the news and my own helplessness. My house was spotless (hello, rage cleaning), and my family was well-fed (quarantine-and-bake, anyone?), but my anxiety about the world was sitting like a bomb in my gut. 

That’s when I realized that although I couldn’t fix the big things spinning out of control in the world, I could absolutely adjust my focus onto what was good, no matter how small. And, once again, the universe brought me back to food – writing about it, making it, sharing it. 

Thus, was born A Bite of Good. Initially it was just a website and blog focused on finding the little morsels of goodness in every day, whether that was a recipe or a laugh. As time (and the pandemic) marched on, I turned it into an actual business when I started selling the small batch, hand-crafted spice blends and other gourmet foods that I had been making for myself for years. My product lineup has evolved and grown over time, and you can now find them in several retail locations as well as on my website. 

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?
I would be shocked if you could find a single small business owner who would describe their journey as being smooth. I certainly wouldn’t. I’ve had products I loved that didn’t sell. I’ve participated in markets where it cost me more to be there than I sold in the entire day. And I’ve had periods where I’ve wondered if I should go back to the corporate life. 

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 specialize in making small-batch, handcrafted spice blends inspired by everything from my childhood to my travels to my dream adventures. I am passionate about creating unique and flavorful products that help my customers elevate their everyday cooking. My spice blends are made with high-quality ingredients and come in a variety of flavor profiles to suit every taste. In short, A Bite of Good is driven by the mission to make people’s lives more delicious, one flavorful bite at a time. 

What were you like growing up?
I was a bookish child and loved to escape into the imaginary world of whatever book I was reading at the time. Imaginary adventures led to a love of actual adventure in the form of travel, which led me to develop an appreciation for food and culinary traditions. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.abiteofgood.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abiteofgood
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abiteofgood