Conversations with the Inspiring Chelsea Plummer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Plummer.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Chelsea. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started cooking for my family when I was 13 years old. My parents were super busy running a grocery delivery business and I didn’t want to go out to eat, so we made a deal– I could order whatever groceries I wanted if I made dinners for the family. I quickly became obsessed with Food Network and had multiple magazine subscriptions that I read cover-to-cover each month. The more I cooked and tried new things, the more I wanted to experiment with new recipes and cooking techniques. Cooking, in a way, became my favorite “extracurricular.”

As I gained experience, I started to read multiple recipes of a dish I wanted to make and then come up with my own interpretation of it. It was such a fun and creative process and completely addicting. I started to think I might want to go to culinary school but decided against it as I didn’t want the common chef’s lifestyle. And so, during my college years and into my twenties, I tried to find as many baking and cooking outlets as I could. I’d often be the one who would offer to make baked goods for student groups, cook holiday dinners, or host dinner parties with friends.

Fast forward to a few years ago when I got a job as a marketing executive at a local digital marketing company. I learned the ins and outs of building and managing a website, growing a blog, and promoting a business. And though other parts of the job didn’t end up being the best fit, I had a lot of fun learning those skills. Enough fun, that when I quit that job, I decided to finally marry my interest of cooking and digital marketing by starting my food blog, Mae’s Menu.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Both getting to the point of starting my business as well as starting and growing my business has been full of challenges. Though I believe everything happens for a reason and that good things happen when you work hard and give it your all, there were times in my twenties where I felt completely lost. I tried on multiple careers before finding the great fit that I have now. At times it felt like I would never find “my thing.”

My advice to other people who are in a similar position is to be patient with yourself, talk to other people about their careers or jobs, to let your curiosity lead you, and to observe yourself and your strengths. As I talked to more people, I discovered that some paths I was initially interested in going down actually weren’t the best fit for me. As I let my curiosity lead me, I discovered what I was passionate about and could do all day every day without getting bored or burnt out. Also, because of that curiosity, my eyes were opened to options I might not have previously considered.

Finally, by observing my strengths — through introspection and asking other people — I had epiphanies about what I had to bring to the table and how to best use it. Doing this, instead of thinking about what I “should be” doing helped me to put the pieces to discover a career path that was best for me.

Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
I am a food blogger specializing in original recipes for runners and other active people, though I also occasionally post high altitude baking recipes. I’m known for publishing recipes that are creative, but easy to make and full of tips to make the recipes successful every time. I’ve also had a lot of readers comment on how much they appreciate my authenticity.

As for what I’m most proud of as a brand, I’d say that is my discipline. In the 13+ months my site has been live, I’ve published over 135 recipes and I continue to publish two new recipes per week. I’m constantly striving to improve my content – whether it’s learning new technical blogging skills, improving my photography, re-testing recipes, or working on my writing. I love the learning and refining process and believe this sets me apart as a blogger.

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
Sally McKenny of Sally’s Baking Addiction has inspired me for years, even though I’ve never met her. She’s so real and down to earth in all of her content and she’s very open about how much she’s learned and grown as a blogger. My mom has inspired me. She’s a smart and determined woman who’s made big changes for her own well being and wasn’t afraid to pivot later in life. If I’m a fraction of how courageous and strong she is, I will consider myself successful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maesmenu.com
• Email: chelseamaesmenu@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/maesmenu/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maesmenu/
• Other: https://pinterest.com/maesmenu/

Image Credit:
Mae’s Menu 2020

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