We are excited to introduce Chef Candace Tierney to the Zengarry Kitchen as our March Zen Chef of the Month! Through this monthly series, we look forward to celebrating chefs and foodies in the vegan food space.
Candace is the founder of Oat & Mill, which makes lusciously parlour-style ice cream without dairy. After going dairy-free, Candace searched for something that reminded her of the parlour shop ice cream she loved as a kid. This inspired her to create and build Oat & Mill. Oat & Mill is available in grocery stores across Canada.
1. What inspired you to create Oat & Mill?
Oat & Mill started out of a deep love for ice cream. Ice cream was my favorite food growing up and even as an adult I was always looking to get the best, parlor style ice cream but couldn’t find any dairy-free. I was cooking oatmeal one morning when I realized how creamy oats were, and thought this should be made into ice cream!
2. What has been most rewarding about running a plant-based food business? Most challenging?
The most rewarding part of running my business was growing and seeing my team develop. The most challenging part is learning how to constantly evolve and change for the better.
3. What is your number one piece of advice for someone seeking to start a plant-based food business?
Find your community and follow through! Not everyone follows through, but if you show up time and time again, and build your community at the center of your business, you will have a much higher likelihood of success.
4. Which Oat & Mill flavour is your family’s favourite?
Everyone like’s a different flavour! Funny thing ice cream is, it’s truly unique to the individual’s taste. I would say Vanilla Bean is always a crowd pleaser though!
5. What can we look forward to from Oat & Mill (@oatandmill)?
This year we are expanding into more stores, working to make our products accessible to more folks across the country.
6. We ask all of our Zen Chefs this - What is your favourite vegan restaurant and/or dish that you’ve ever ordered?
There is a taco shop in Vancouver that is too good to forget! They are called Budgies Burritos, if you’re ever in the area - check them out!
Click here to watch our Women's Day IG Live Special with Candace and founder of Fauxmagerie Zengarry, Lynda Turner:
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