Check Out Kim Laga’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Laga.

Hi Kim, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
With over 25 years in the culinary industry, my career has been shaped by creativity, community, and a deep commitment to nourishing others. My path has been anything but linear — I first earned degrees in Psychology and Child Development from the University of Nebraska before following my passion for food to Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Portland, Oregon. A scholarship opportunity then took me to London to study Patisserie Arts, an experience that profoundly influenced my style and appreciation for the craft.

I began as a Pastry Chef in Portland, but when I returned to Denver, my love for hospitality led me into event planning for one of the city’s premier catering companies. Yet it was becoming a mother that shifted everything for me. Seeing firsthand the need for healthier, more thoughtful food in schools inspired me to take action. That vision became Grateful Plate, my labor of love dedicated to serving children and families meals made with intention and care.

In June 2024, I reached a milestone I had dreamed about for years — opening my own kitchen and storefront. Today it serves as the heart of my school lunch program and catering services, and it also gives me a space to offer pre-made meals, desserts, and coffee to the community. I’ve filled it with pieces of who I am: support for local artists, shelves showcasing Colorado products, and a warm, welcoming energy I hope everyone feels when they walk in.

My entrepreneurial journey didn’t stop there. I recently launched The Burrito Bus Denver, bringing my signature breakfast burritos to events around the city. It’s a fun, flavorful extension of what I love most — feeding people, bringing joy through food, and building connections wherever I go.

Every step of this journey has reinforced what being a local entrepreneur means to me: staying innovative, staying connected, and putting heart into everything I create.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Running a food company means living with constant pressure — food that can spoil, staff that depend on you, equipment that breaks at the worst times, and customers who expect consistency no matter what chaos is happening behind the scenes. I’ve always poured my heart into feeding people, but being a small business owner in this industry has tested me in ways I never expected.

Nothing challenged me more than COVID. Overnight, schools closed, events disappeared, and the systems my business relied on collapsed. I remember standing in my kitchen surrounded by food that would never be served, wondering how I would keep my team employed or my business alive. But giving up wasn’t an option. We pivoted, adapted, and reinvented our entire operation — often week by week — just to survive.

The years that followed brought their own challenges: labor shortages, rising food costs, supply chain issues, and the constant need to be flexible in an industry that doesn’t slow down. But every obstacle forced growth. Every setback built resilience. And every meal we delivered reminded me why I began this work.

Opening my own kitchen in June 2024 wasn’t just a business milestone; it was proof of perseverance. Proof that even through uncertainty, fear, and exhaustion, passion can carry you forward.

Being a food entrepreneur isn’t glamorous — it’s gritty, relentless work. But it’s also incredibly rewarding. Because despite everything, I get to feed my community, support local families, and build something meaningful out of challenge after challenge. And to me, that makes every struggle worth it.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
What sets me apart in the food world is my commitment to creating meals with intention — not mass-produced, not generic, but thoughtfully designed for the people I serve. I’m known for my customized school lunch program that focuses on healthier, high-quality meals made from real ingredients. I take the time to understand each school’s needs, the children’s preferences, and how to balance nutrition with flavors they actually enjoy. That level of personalization is rare, and it’s something I take immense pride in.

I’m also known for my breakfast burritos — a simple idea that has become a beloved staple in the community. Whether it’s through The Burrito Bus Denver or catered events, those burritos reflect my philosophy: comfort food can still be crafted with care, creativity, and great ingredients.

Quality is the thread that runs through everything I do. From school lunches to pre-made meals to catering to the storefront offerings, I never cut corners. I’m hands-on, I pay attention to detail, and I’m committed to feeding people the kind of food I would proudly serve my own family.

I’m most proud of the impact my work has on children and families. Knowing that students are eating healthier, better-quality meals because of something I built means more to me than any title or milestone. I’m proud of surviving the hardest seasons — from the unpredictability of COVID to the daily challenges of small business ownership — and coming out stronger, more focused, and more inspired.

How do you think about luck?
I’ve worked incredibly hard to build what I have today, but I would never pretend that hard work alone tells the whole story. Luck has absolutely played a role in my journey — sometimes in ways I didn’t recognize until much later.

I’ve been lucky to cross paths with people who believed in me at exactly the right moments. Lucky to have mentors, customers, and schools who took a chance on my vision before it was fully formed. Lucky to have a family who supported the long hours, the risks, and the dreams that didn’t always make sense on paper.

I’ve also been lucky in timing — opportunities showing up when I needed them most, like finding the right kitchen space in 2024 just when the business was ready for its next chapter. And during the hardest seasons, especially COVID, luck looked like community members showing up with encouragement, teachers sending notes of appreciation, or vendors helping me navigate shortages when everything felt impossible.

Pricing:

• Pre-made meals $8.50-$12.50
• Breakfast Burritos – $8.00
• School Lunches $5.50- $7.50

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gratefulplatedenver.com
• Instagram: @gratefulplatedenver
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gratefulplatedenver

Image Credits
Suzanne Ortiz