We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimberly Schaub and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberly, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I have always been the kid who asks both “how” something works and “why” we do something the way we do. In academics, in my military career, and in restaurants, I always wanted to get an idea of the process and procedures followed, because that enables problem-solving.

When it came to entering the food manufacturing industry, I wanted to learn as much as I could, and as a hands-on learner, that could have meant working a lot of different jobs to get a taster for each. Rather than switching functions frequently, I chose to reach out to experts within my field who had a variety of experiences and interview them for my podcast, PeasOnMoss. A word play on the culinary term “mise en place,” referencing having all of one’s ingredients ready to go, the podcast focuses on amplifying the voices and experiences of the professionals in food manufacturing whose work collectively get culinary concepts into your restaurants and packaged foods into your grocery stores.

I built a successful personal and professional brand that has helped me be known as a curious and engaged individual. While the podcast continues to be a labor of love – I am fortunate to have a full time job – the real benefit of the brand has been the incredible global network of culinary professionals, food experts, and foodies who are united by the passion to bring delicious food to the world.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The PeasOnMoss podcast amplifies the stories of research chefs and professionals in the food industry, seeking both to highlight the work that goes into producing food for grocery and restaurants and to feature the people who do that work. I love getting to know the contributors and leaders in the industry and to share their expertise with a wider audience. So often, we consumers don’t know how food is made, shipped, and sold, and the podcast seeks to explain how it works. While I have had temporary sponsors over the years, the podcast itself continues to be self-funded. That can be difficult, but since it’s a passion and side business, it’s something that I want to keep purely as an educational media brand, and not a for-profit agency. There are a variety of great podcasts examining the food industry these days, and it’s fun to both get to contribute to the information and to enjoy the content out there.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I work remotely from North Park, and I love being a 1-mile walking distance to incredible businesses. So, if you were to spend a weekend day in the neighborhood, this is what I would recommend.
First thing in the morning, head over to Adams St. and get a coffee and pastel de nata from bica, a Portuguese cafe.
Then head to North Park on University and get brunch at Make Project, a nonprofit restaurant business that supports immigrant women growing their experience in food service.
With a full and happy belly, walk into Verbatium books and explore the interesting curated books and admire the bookwall. There are several independent shops close by, like Artelexia, a Mexican group of shops with books, trinkets, gifts, art, and even food products.
For lunch, enjoy a hot and fresh falafel bowl (or wrap) from Falafel Heights, a woman-owned itty bitty cafe on 30th. The garlicky sauce, hot and crunchy falafel, and delicious little dessert bites are all so indulgent.
Head over to Pinky’s Cafe to listen to some fun records and enjoy the coffee and treats in a fun and peaceful space. With wifi and comfy tables, it’s a great place to plan your dinner.
For dinner, I would go to Thai Time for rich and spicy Khao Soi, which I argue is the best version you’ll find in the city.
For dessert, take the mile-walk to Muri Cafe, and get a Kurdish tea, served in a pewter teapot, and one of their incredibly tasty desserts and enjoy the sunset and cooling weather.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The organization that really helped me find the community of like-missioned professionals is the Research Chefs Association. I’d like to shout-out to Jeff Crace, CEO of California Garlic Company. A mentor and friend, he is the vice president of the all-volunteer board. He arranged a food tour during one of our annual conferences, and his passion for good food made us fast friends. He’s a trusted leader in the food industry and supportive of the regional events and entrepreneurs in the association, sharing advice and encouragement with a dose of business expertise whenever he can.

The Research Chefs Association advocates for culinology, the work that effectively blends food science and technology with culinary arts. Many of the original members were traditional chefs who moved into food manufacturing roles, such as for Campbells, developing the household staples that can be found all around the world. I met my core professional and personal friends through the association, including chefs with whom I have done “dine arounds,” where we select a few locally-owned restaurants and cafes to explore the food and drink of a region. I was also given opportunities for new roles through my connections in the RCA, such as my move into business development from food product development. Business development for my current company, Griffith Foods, is proactive prospecting and sales, and it honed commercial leadership and business acumen, skills in which I wanted more experience. Now as the Global Sustainability Business Development Director, I collaborate with commercial team peers around the world to work towards Griffith’s 2030 Aspirations, which is our unified focus on creating positive impact in the world through our sustainability work.

Website: https://www.peasonmoss.com

Instagram: @peasonmoss

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyschaub/

Image Credits
Photos courtesy of University of Victoria, Research Chefs Association, and personal collection

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