Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published July 26, 2019.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

I’m from Hilton. I went to Rhode Island for culinary school, then lived in Boston for about 2.5 years. I came back to Rochester about 4 years ago now.

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

Being able to see my family again. Seeing all the changes that have happened, all the growth and woman-owned businesses. Rochester supports small businesses in a way you don’t see in a lot of other places. There’s more of an at home feeling here, too. It’s comfortable; you can go anywhere and it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing.

What are some of your favorite hidden gems around town?

Little Button. Cheshire. All the markets, like the Brighton Market—it’s a smaller and more local market. Food-wise, I love Voula’s, it’s delicious. For coffee, Ugly Duck. It’s been fun watching Ugly Duck grow; it’s amazing!

What's the most unique or interesting event you've been to in Rochester?

Jazz Fest, definitely. The arts festivals—Clothesline is great. I saw bellydancing for the first time at Fringe! The New York State Yoga Festival at Letchworth is amazing; they bring in food. I work at Love Beets, and we partnered with the East Coast Toast Truck to serve a beet hummus toast, and hopefully we’ll have beet lemonade coming soon too. The Brainery Bazaar is always fun. We hosted a Love Beets Lounge at one, where you could hang out while shopping, and we served beet burgers, mocktails, and beet s’mores. I bought my first pair of Charlie Bleu earrings there! Love Beets will also be at the Foodlink Festival of Food in September.

If you had $100 and two hours to kill in Rochester, how would you spend the money/time?

My life revolves around food! I’d probably take a class at the Brainery. After, I’d grab dessert and coffee from Scratch, then some tacos at Old Pueblo Grill.

What's your favorite neighborhood in the city? 

I live in the 19th Ward and really like it. It’s near Genesee Valley Park and Highland Park. I just sit on my porch; it’s fun to porch watch. Everyone is so nice.

What's the best place to get a garbage plate? 

I don’t usually go for them, unless that late night “I’m a Rochesterian” need arises. Then it’s Jimmy Z’s or Dogtown.

What is your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather? 

I’m pretty sure I’m an eskimo. I really enjoy snow. Fireplaces and warm beverages help a lot. Don’t get stuck in your house. Going to the movies on a snowy day or watching snow come down from inside a coffee shop is always nice. We once went for a snowy weekend getaway in a cabin in the Adirondacks and it was great.

What one memory do you have that's quintessentially Rochester? 

Growing up in Hilton, we’d get really excited to go shopping at Parkleigh and to get lunch at Magnolia’s afterwards. We’d wear summer dresses and bring Polaroids with us to take pictures. The city is actually really exciting and interesting! And Hilton is 25 minutes away from the city, but most people would never go into it. Seeing A Christmas Carol every year is another good Rochester memory.

What makes Rochester unique? 

The support for small businesses stands out. I worked for Scratch Bakeshop, a small business, and now I work for Love Beets, a larger one that wants to support small businesses. People support small here because they actually want to and care, not because it’s the trendy thing to do. I’m excited that Love Beets is here in Rochester.

What do you think could be improved about our city? 

Somehow incorporating bigger businesses with small businesses. Not to take over from small businesses, but to support them more and better.

If Rochester was a food or drink, what would it be? 

Black coffee- it’s homely, comforting, and not too fancy.

Tell me a little bit about your work at Love Beets.

I’m a new product technologist and I’ve been there for about a year and a half. I’m developing new products and enhancing our current offerings. I monitor trends and see where we need to be at to meet consumer demands. 

What does a day in the life look like?

I play with flavors, I research other products, I help grocery stores see how they can make something happen, I run trials with our production team, and so much more. My first job out of college was food science at a seafood company, and I’d always come home smelling like fish. Now I smell like beets all the time. The two story machines we work with are not your home kitchen! I eat beets on an almost daily basis now, and I drink a lot of vinegar because they’re marinated, so I think my stomach could survive anything. I also come up with recipes for our shows around Rochester. Organizing events and planning menus is a newer part of my job. 

What local chefs do you draw inspiration from?

I look at menus from farm to table places, like Nosh, Good Luck, and Cure to see what they’re doing with beets. For vegan, I look at the Owl House and Red Fern. A large part of our market is the vegan/vegetarian crowd. 

What's one thing you wish everyone knew about beets?

These aren’t your grandma’s beets! They’re not just boiled. They’re more fun, they’re easy to use, and you can prepare them in a lot of different, inventive ways. We want to expose people who don’t love beets to creative ways of having them, and get them to love them.