Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Lintelman.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA and am bilingual in Spanish so that is what brought me to Dallas. I was searching for my career and I found myself moving to Dallas by myself for an amazing opportunity, but I was far from all of my family and friends. It was new and I was alone, but I eventually loved living in Dallas and was satisfied with my job. Despite this, I found myself searching for something more. As I ventured out, I became smitten by the Dallas food scene; it was exciting, cutting edge, and I loved discovering new places and sharing them with people. I quickly made a “hobby” of going out to eat, photographing my food, and sharing my experiences with friends. It started to fill that void…
Soon, I was a full-time working mom here in Plano, and I found myself overwhelmed at times trying to plan meals, to go shopping, to cook all week while working, to socialize and go out, and to stay organized while doing it all. I began recreating a lot of recipes from other bloggers, from Pinterest and creating my own, so I started a blog to keep track of all of the recipes that were successful and that my family liked.
I was sharing my cooking and restaurant gallivanting on Facebook when a friend suggested that I get on Instagram so I could share the restaurants I was finding and the meals I was cooking with a larger audience.
So far, I’ve been invited to and attended soft openings, done menu tastings for restaurants, been hosted at a few restaurants and done giveaways for them, have inspired many of my followers to make their own versions of my recipes, and have met and collaborated with lots of new people who have similar interests as I do!
That is how I got started and built my community. To me, food represents connections, friendships and family, comfort and happiness. I have a passion for quality food and sharing it with others.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it hasn’t all been easy… especially being a full-time working mom with two kids that play sports. I am already busy, but finding time for myself to indulge in food and cooking is extremely important to my well-being. I love coming home after a long day of work and cooking all evening to relieve my stress. I would say managing my time has been one of my biggest challenges. I plan all my meals for the week on Saturday and Sunday, do all my shopping on Sunday, and try to stick to my plan as best as I can during the week.
Another challenge in my life has been living away from family and friends, but dedicating some of my time to food and connecting with people has given me a place to focus my energy, and this has been very rewarding.
I am also working to grow my account and reach more people, so finding time to interact with and support other accounts is sometimes a struggle.
My advice to other women beginning their journey is to find what your passion is and see how you can use your skillset to benefit others! Find what you love and purposefully make time for yourself to engage in that, especially if you are a mom/wife and focus much of your time on your family. Connect with others, find relationships, and build a support system. Create or join a community. There are many large communities of women out there who are very supportive of and collaborate with each other in order to ensure successful outcomes for all. Lots of them are extremely creative, natural multi-taskers, relationship seekers, and effective communicators. I have met so many “boss babes” and “blogger babes” via social media who are extremely driven and thus, successful. These connections have inspired me to continue doing what I enjoy doing.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a food blogger that is sharing both my food life at home and my food life out and about in DFW. My recipes are typically easy, quick, fairly healthy, and always delicious. You can watch my stories during the week to see me cooking in real-time! I also share mom tips, time savers, and meal planning advice and ideas. I like to visit all the new hotspots but really enjoy finding and working with local, lesser-known, family and independently owned small businesses. I always return to the places that I love and continue to promote them! There are so many restaurants around DFW, specifically in Plano, with amazing food that people just don’t know about. I love when people try places that I’ve suggested and they give me feedback on how satisfied they were! Eating delicious food is a must, whether you’re a homebody or a social butterfly, and I’m showing people how they can do both!
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
Yes! I have always had a deep love for and familiarity with quality food and drinks. This comes from my childhood and growing up in a large family who always gathered and celebrated with food and drink being the focus. One of my grandmothers was Italian so we enjoyed homemade pizza and handmade pasta and spaghetti sauce. My other grandma was also a great cook and was in charge of holidays like Thanksgiving; there were always from scratch apple and pumpkin pies on the buffet table. My mom took on the duties of preparing the Italian Christmas feast, which includes homemade Italian wedding soup, when my grandmother passed away. I have fond memories, and these moments continue today, of my huge family gathered around a table eating, drinking, playing games, and laughing late into the night.
In high school and college, I started to travel to different countries and had the opportunity to live with “host moms” who loved cooking and sharing about their food! I lived in Granada, Spain and then Puerto Aysen, Chile and both women prepared amazing dishes of food that was new and foreign to me, and enjoyed talking to me about the food. Getting to know another culture through food was life-changing! I’ve been wowed by the culinary scene in Spain, France, Italy, England, Costa Rica, Argentina, and even Morocco.
When I decided to make the move to Dallas as an adult, I was worried that my ‘travel bug’ would make me want to up and leave again; I was always a traveler. My biggest “fear” was settling down. Despite this, the diversity of the food scene in Plano won my heart. I am satisfied living here and the availability of any type of food within 20 mins. or less of my house is key!
Food has always held the utmost importance in my family and in my life and that’s why I associate it with community, fun, and happiness and find so much joy in sharing it with others!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://allthatseatable.wordpress.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @txfoodiemama
- Facebook: @TXFoodieMamá
Image Credit:
Lauren Lintelman
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