Do you remember the story about the Princess and the Pea? In the end, that one wasn't really about food, but its protagonist is someone that those of us who started out as picky eaters can relate to. I for one will never forget the extreme sensitivity I felt about, for example, the crusts on my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The moral is that food creates powerful memories, whether the endings are happy or sad, and Kelly knows that better than anyone as a fully reformed P.E. (Picky Eater). Share your own stories with Kelly by contributing to her beautiful food magazine, Remedy Quarterly.
When did you know that you wanted to work in food?
Working in food was definitely a gradual progression for me. It's actually kind of a running joke in my family that I do anything that's related to food.
Growing up I was an incredibly picky kid-we're talking macaroni and cheese (preferably Kraft spiral) and chicken tenders. In college my mom gave me a handwritten cookbook filled with a collection of her favorite recipes, my favorite recipes and some of our family's greatest hits-for the most part it collected dust for a few years. Then I moved to Brooklyn to become a graphic designer and realized being picky is pretty lame and really not conducive to having a social life. That initial exploration into trying new foods really spurred my love of food and the connections that it creates.
I started a blog to document my trips to the farmers market and experiments in the kitchen and realized I kind of loved food. I loved everything about it-shopping for it, cooking it, and of course eating it. I loved the new discoveries-the flavors, even the forms and colors of fruits and vegetables. I began to get a reputation among friends as someone who was really into food and even making new friends because of it.
Two years later, I founded my food magazine Remedy Quarterly which is about food memories and the recipes that inspired them. That book my mom gave me (who had passed away by this time) along with community cookbooks were a huge inspiration to the founding of Remedy. By that time I spent about 90% of my time thinking about food. Nearly two years later, in 2011 I realized I really wanted to devote all of my time to food but in a multi-faceted sort of way. I now publish, write, develop recipes, design food packaging, and of course, make and eat food full time.
How did you get your current good food job?
I created it myself. I worked really hard and continue to work hard to do something I am 100% passionate about. It means I have to do a bunch of different things (see above), but luckily I love them all.
How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?
I worked at a small design firm for 6 years and I learned so much about business, building lasting relationships and design that creates connections. Many of the things I learned were simple day to day goings-on that I didn't realize I'd soaked up-or even think were useful-until after I left and started dealing with my own clients and customers. They're things you're not necessarily taught in school, things only experience can teach you.
What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your Good Food Job dream?
One of the hardest things I've experienced with Remedy Quarterly was losing my original partners. I founded the magazine with three other people and unfortunately life got a little crazy for everyone and I was the "last (wo)man standing" as they say.
Running a small, ad-free magazine is difficult, especially when you're making up the rules as you go along. Luckily my husband was incredibly supportive and encouraged me to push myself and take the reigns. It was a great decision, one that every now and then I question, but then I look back at the magazines and people I've met because of it and think about how proud and happy that makes me.
What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?
I find local partnerships with farms and urban farming incredibly inspiring. I really admire farms like Brooklyn Grange on the rooftop of a building in Queens and Brother Nature Produce in Detroit who are providing local produce in urban areas. They see opportunity in unused space and make something amazing with it that benefits the entire community by providing fresh, locally grown produce.
If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?
Food and friendship.
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