Don't we all wish that our local grocery store looked a little bit more like in.gredients? Unless of course you are a resident of the Austin, Texas neighborhood where it's actually located, in which case: we are jealous. And we can understand why Chelsea sought them out and made contact before she had even moved to Austin. It's a good reminder that making connections with places that inspire us is always worth your time and energy - you just never know what might happen.

When did you know that you wanted to work in food?

I owe my love of food to my grandma and living in New Zealand. My love of eating food came from Thanksgiving dinners stuffed into my grandma's kitchen as we listened to jazz and prepared enough food for a small army. I knew I wanted to work in food after studying environmental science and ecology in rural New Zealand. We students got our vegetables from our garden and our meat and dairy from nearby neighbors. Surrounded by 20 other likeminded young people, I discovered the vibrancy that is getting your hands dirty in the soil next to people you love and admire. From then on, I was dedicated to shaping my life around sustainable food.

How did you get your current good food job?

I was very, very lucky to get my current job. I had reached out to the fine folks at in.gredients before moving to Austin, TX, as I had found their website and was instantly in love. A zerowaste grocery store focused on local food?! Amazing. I sent them an inquiry, and a few months later they asked me to send them writing samples. Luckily, I keep my own personal food blog. Even luckier, they liked my voice/style of writing, and hired me a few days later.

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?

I started slinging coffee when I was 15, and have worked in the food industry ever since. After studying in New Zealand, I spent a chunk of time working on organic farms around the western United States, learning from a variety of farmers what it means to run a successful farm in our country. I spent a year as an Americorp member in Seattle teaching kids about nutrition and planning activities around healthy eating and encouraging active lifestyles. When I landed my job at in.gredients, I did a happy dance. The store is not only focused on real, local food, it's also focused on the sustainability aspect of the industry, which is a critical. The in.gredients team is committed to being zerowaste, and we go above and beyond to make sure we don't waste food or packaging. Aside from work, my life experiences have led me to the conclusion that my therapy is food. I find peace in the kitchen, and my passion for food comes out in the work I do.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your Good Food Job dream?

My biggest issue has been figuring out what I'm MOST passionate about. I love it all: farming, food service, advocacy, education, etc. When I started on this journey, my only focus was, "food". I knew that I liked to write and that I really loved interacting with people, but other than that I had no idea what I was meant to do. I just kept throwing myself into different career paths and coming to the conclusion that "insert profession here" wasn't for me. I wish I had the strength and perseverance to be a farmer, but that wasn't my calling. It wasn't until I got into the swing of event planning/marketing and public relations where it all finally clicked. I am blessed in that I can say I take pictures of, write about and encourage people to buy local, sustainable food for a living.

What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?

Food is the sexiest thing right now. Chefs are treated as celebrities, people want to shake hands with their farmers, and kale turns people's heads. When something is in the spotlight, it's the perfect time to turn the attention to the issues. It's time to address why an apple is more expensive than soda, and why so much waste is involved in the making and selling of our food. The opportunities are in riding the momentum and excitement around food to create changes that will bring about a healthier food system and a healthier planet.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?

Education. I would want to spend time with the farmers, ranchers, beekeepers, brewers, butchers, cheesemongers, etc. and learn all that I could from them. There is so much knowledge and drive behind this blossoming food movement, and if I could, I would trade in money to learn and get hands on experience in the many arenas of growing and making food.