Monthly Muse: Liza Atkinson, Nosh & Gather
This month’s muse is Liza Atkinson, founder/owner of Nosh and Gather. If you haven’t heard of Nosh and Gather, go check them out right now. I’ll wait. Liza is a woman after my own heart. You know I love a good food spread and party. Nosh and Gather creates home cooked meals that you can order weekly, picnics, dinner parties, and charcuterie boards. If it’s food related, Liza can help you out. What’s even more impressive, Liza started her company right as the pandemic started. Talk about learning to pivot quickly. Over the past three years I’ve watched as Liza’s business has grown and flourished. I only wish I was back in MN to be able to have her do all the heavy lifting for a backyard picnic party :). Read on to learn how Liza got started and her journey with Nosh and Gather.
I always like to start at the beginning - what did you want to be when you grew up? Did you follow that path or go in a completely different direction?
I have always been a music lover, participating in band and choir throughout high school and college and considered becoming a music teacher. But my love of words and writing led me to get a degree in Communications at the U of MN. I began my career as an event planner out of college and did that for several years. After having my first child, I left my career to stay home with my babies and began meal prepping with friends and neighbors. That eventually grew into our weekly meal service at Nosh and Gather.
How did you get started in the food business? Have you always had a passion for food?
I have always been a foodie, often making homemade lasagna and throwing dinner parties in my tiny college apartment. Food is my love language - when someone is going through something, I show up with dinner. I am a creative at my core and food and entertaining are my muse.
Walk us through a typical day - what does that look like?
Ha! Being an entrepreneur, no day is typical. But generally, I spend a few hours each morning managing shopping and prep lists with my sous chef, getting the week organized. Mondays and Tuesdays are our busy production days with some of our weely meal service orders leaving the kitchen on Tuesday afternoons. Wednesdays are our final push days to finish everything and all remaining orders leave our kitchen Wednesday afternoons. Thursdays and Fridays can be admin catchup days, responding to catering requests, etc. or back in the kitchen with my team prepping for weekend catering events.
What was the biggest challenge for you when you were starting Nosh and Gather? How did you approach it and overcome it?
I opened Nosh and Gather in early March, 2020 and initially it was just pivoting and surviving that weird time. As a brand new, baby business, I just listened to my clients to meet their needs. As covid shifted and settled, the next challenge was dealing with the unpresenceted, rising costs of ingredients. Price shifts are normal and expected in my industry but when things start climbing 50, 60, even 70% higher, that was harder to swallow. I did raise my prices at the beginning of 2022 but some ingredients just kept climbing. I did my best but also felt I couldn’t double or triple my prices, there is a threshold.
What surprising lesson(s) have you learned along the way?
I have learned about how resilient I am as a business owner. I have weathered a lot during these first 3-years and it has made me more flexible and nimble.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere. Books, nature, traveling, art, other chefs, foodie people, etc.
One of Nosh & Gather’s core values is giving back, can you share how you do that?
Since we opened giving back to our community has always been a core value. At the end of our week we always have extra ingredients left over that we re-purpose into meals to feed families facing food insecurity. We partner with a local non-profit do distribute these meals. I am so proud of the more than 750 meals we have donated so far.
What’s next for you and Nosh + Gather?
We have some exciting partnerships happening this year. Nothing I can talk about yet but soon! And I am working on a big new project something totally different than anything I have done before. It has me feeling a little uncomfortable which in my mind is a good thing. I like to push myself out of my comfort zone to try new things.
Rapid Fire
Coffee or tea - tea, earl grey with steeped cardamom pods and a little ½ and ½
AM Warrior or Burn the Midnight Oil - Midnight oil baby
Dream destination - Australia
One ingredient you put on everything? - salt. Everything must be well seasoned for it to taste the best. Different kinds of salts for different dishes.
What 3 people living or dead would you like to make dinner for? - Oprah (duh), Bono and Beyonce
You are stuck on an island, you can pick one food to eat forever without getting tired of it, what would you eat? Eggs. Can be made some many different ways.
Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Dark
Thank you Liza for talking the time to share your story with us. You can find Liza on her website and on instagram.
