Hello and Welcome.
Thank you for stopping by, I’m so happy that you’re here. I’d like to take you along our journey and share my insights about food, cheese, life and so much more. If you follow us on Instagram, you’ve probably already seen a snippet of my story but since this is our first blog post, it’s only right to start from the beginning and share where it all began.
In my early 20’s and the corporate ladder
From a young age, I have always found myself cooking up ideas in the kitchen. My parents were always my recipe tasters of my trail apple pies and crazy cooking experiments. I’ve always been a naturally creative person. From sewing, baking, painting ; I’ve always had a good eye for detail and feel at ease within my creative space.
When I turned 17 years old, my dream was to attend culinary school and train as a professional chef. However, the fees were beyond what my family could afford at that time, so I took the route to study something completely different at university. I went on to pursue a degree in the world of construction which was relatable, as I come from a family of construction professionals – it seemed the easiest option at the time.
Life’s road took me a long way away from my passion for food and so I started into the corporate construction world right after university. Whilst I enjoyed all the opportunities, deep down I knew it was not my calling. It didn’t really get me buzzing out of bed each day.
Finding my ground and love for art and food
Whilst working in my corporate job, I spent a lot of my spare time crafting, trying out recipes and tasting lots of varieties of cheese. Being a wedding planner for several weddings of friends and family became my creative outlet during these times.
I also took a variety of short courses, travelled a bit and eventually told myself that one day I would venture into something I really love and enjoy. When and how to get started? I just didn’t really know. The very core, the very centre of my passion, the very foundation was missing. I knew in my heart that the love and appreciation I had for food was never too far away.
Motherhood and everything in between
Having worked for a few years and juggling a full-time job, motherhood really put things into perspective. I really underestimated how difficult it is to maintain a corporate career with young children. It actually felt quite impossible to progress as I had been previously.
Going back to work was now a commitment more than ever. Huge nursery bills, the guilt of leaving them in day care and the continuous ups and downs of it all really put things into perspective for me. The question was – do I really want to continue doing this or do I create a career path of my own?
The road to Berry and Brie
Near the end of my second maternity leave, I really was dreading going back. Amidst all of this and going back and forth with the thought of returning, I had spent my year off pinning gorgeous images of feasting tables and platters. As a big host and foodie, this style of food was right up my street! I started playing around with platter boards and shared a few ideas with friends and family at the table. Within no time I had come up with a business name and an idea. With No clients, no business setup and just a name, weeks later, a lovely friend asked me to provide food for a friend's baby shower. This event was the spark moment for me. The spark moment felt like I came full circle, back to food as the centre point.
It was almost like the feeling of returning home after a long stay away - creating, cooking, designing and feeding the hungry heart!
0 comments