Texas Women: Chelse

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Chelse, founder and owner of Smoky Mmmm-Eats, a vegan, plant-based food company. Chelse talks about how leaving Texas to move to New England helped her appreciate her Texas and Louisiana roots, and she also shares how she went from chemical engineering to starting her own business.

Episode Timeline:

• [00:03] Intro
• [02:10] About the Texas women series
• [04:46] Meet Chelse
• [06:04] The first time she left Texas
• [08:28] Studying chemical engineering
• [11:33] How the cities felt different
• [17:50] An appreciation of where she came from
• [21:16] Houston and Beaumont
• [23:58] Tacos, husband and Boston
• [30:42] Looked across the border in Rhode Island
• [33:22] No more meat
• [39:22] Creating her own vegan meat company
• [45:40] BBQ and Southern culture
• [50:06] Changing how vegan food is defined
• [51:26] Contacting Chelse
• [52:42] Jessie's rapid fire questions

Resources Mentioned:

• Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA)
• Drexel University
• King of the Hill
• Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas State Flag
• Prejean's
• Boston Harbor
• Earthlings
• Seitan
• Fakin' Bacon
• Hope & Main
• Jackfruit
• Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat

Standout Quotes:

• "I figured if I went to school in Texas, I thought I would never leave." -Chelse [09:25]
• "Vegan food doesn't have to be a sacrifice." -Chelse [43:55]
• "Food is a universal type of language. It transcends cultures, and I want vegan food to be able to do that as well." -Chelse [50:07]

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Learn more about Chelse:

Smoky Mmmm-Eats' website

Email Smoky Mmmm-Eats

Smoky Mmmm-Eats on Instagram