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Meet Shelley Beals of The Fry Girl

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelley Beals.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Shelley. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I moved to LA from Canada in 1999 with $1200 in my pocket. With that small amount of money, I had to find an apartment & a car to get around. I ended up staying with friends for a couple of months while I worked to save up for a junker starter car. I was new to the US, so I had to establish some credit also.

I worked a full-time job in advertising, and because I’ve always been a bit of a hustler, I found a weekend job in a mini donut shop at Venice Beach. I became great friends with the owner of the shop and began catering to some events with her. She offered to sell me the catering side of her business in 2001, and I have never looked back. It’s been 18 years, and I’m still frying strong! We started with just mini donuts, and now we also cater other fried ‘mini’ desserts such as mini churros and mini funnel cakes.

I ran The Fry Girl food truck for three years also where we offered savory & sweet fried goodies. You’d think in a city like Los Angeles, where everyone is so health conscious, that people wouldn’t eat fried food but because our desserts smell so heavenly when they are frying, and they are so small… not to mention at a party… they generally gravitate to our dessert stations. We cater to weddings, mitzvahs, corporate events, set visits on tv shows, wrap parties, birthday parties, anniversary parties, graduations… you name it. It ain’t a party without The Fry Girl!

On a side note, I am BIG into rescuing dogs and am starting a senior dog sanctuary in Joshua Tree. I’m actually in the process of listing my home and am currently looking for a suitable property for the sanctuary. I have been rescuing dogs since I got my drivers license at age 16. I have a passion for it and feel it’s part of my life’s calling. A stray German Shepherd saved my life from drowning when I was four years old.

My amazing catering efforts support my passion for rescuing animals. The past few years I have been rescuing mainly senior dogs as they have the most difficult time finding homes in shelters. Many have health issues and need a lot of dental work. I pay for all of their veterinary bills including surgeries on my own. I will be starting the ‘Good Chi Senior Sanctuary’ in the coming months and will be obtaining my 501c3 non-profit status.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing comes easy, and if anyone tells you it does, they are lying! I don’t have any family in the U.S., therefore, I do most of the work, running this business on my own. I do have a few part-time employees however I do the day to day operations, accounting, prepping & loading vans myself as well as a lot of the on-site catering.

The major struggle I’ve experienced through the years has been finding reliable staff. My longest & most dedicated employee of 12 years just gave me his notice, and I am heartbroken, but I understand that people do have to move on and pursue other endeavors.

Please tell us about The Fry Girl Inc.
I started The Fry Girl Inc. in 2001. We are a fried food catering company. Our specialty is making hot, fresh ‘mini’ desserts such as mini donuts, mini churros and mini funnel cakes at special events around Los Angeles. I’ve been called ‘donut maker to the stars,’ and I’m very proud of this status! I was the first catering company in Los Angeles to offer mini donuts for special events.

My license plate says ‘Often Imitated, Never Duplicated.’ We are now a mini frying empire and will soon be expanding to offer more catering in Palm Desert. We currently service Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Ojai, Orange County, Palm Springs & Temecula… basically, any area within about a two hour drove from Los Angeles.

I believe what sets us apart from others who may offer mini donuts is that I have a genuine passion for cooking plus I love running my own business. I learned to make donuts alongside my mom & grandmother when I was a kid. We made them with potatoes in the batter. They were called spudnuts. Donuts are in my blood man! 🙂

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada (about 40 miles north of the U.S, border). I have always loved animals. We had a pet baby deer who’s mother was killed by a hunter. My favorite memories are playing with the baby deer who we named Bambi. A photo is included.

Pricing:

  • Mini donut station – $1000 + tax for 2 hrs of service time (serves up to 300 guests)
  • Mini churro station – $1000 + tax for 2 hrs (serves up to 300 guests)
  • Mini funnel cake station – $1200 + tax for 2 hrs (serves up to 300 guests)

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Ellen November, Zachary Schueller

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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