From Betty Crocker to Boutique: The Delicious Journey of Quincy Street Kitchen
BY EMMA GEARY - MAY 30, 2024
Photo Credit: Natalie Jennings of Jennings Photo
Kristen Olson has long believed in the power of food, and in 2017, she brought this dream to life using her talents to help brands big and small capture the essence of their food. With experience as a recipe developer for Betty Crocker and a passion for creating custom recipes on her thriving food blog, Quincy Street Kitchen is the perfect marriage of Kristen’s talents.
Kristen grew up loving food and graduated with a BS degree in Nutrition and Food Science, endlessly curious about how food impacts our growth, development, and overall well-being. After college, Kristen got a job at General Mills working in the Betty Crocker Test Kitchen, developing the signature recipes that became staples in homes across America.
“I absolutely loved it. I was giddy walking into the kitchen daily because it felt like I worked in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory creating magic. To work for such an iconic brand was a dream.”
Kristen traveled across the country sharing the signature Betty Crocker recipes she developed, meeting chefs and foodies to share her passion for food. As another creative outlet, Kristen launched a blog called Bourbon and Honey, creating over 400 custom recipes and amassing thousands of visitors over the years.
“Both were great opportunities to learn how to work with influencers and market a product. I saw how brands and influencers started to collaborate in smaller, scrappier ways, and it was fun to see how the world of food content was evolving with the growing popularity of social media.”
With 10 years of experience at a global food company paired with the success of Bourbon and Honey, Kristen decided it was time for a career shift that better incorporated her love of food, photography, and storytelling into her daily work. She wanted to bring a more layered and holistic approach to food, which is how Quincy Street Kitchen was born.
“As a recipe developer for a corporate brand and someone who created my own blog content on the side, I have a unique, holistic perspective on bringing a new concept to market. At Quincy Street Kitchen, we are experts in finding savvy ways to bring a client’s vision to life in a way that is truly game-changing for them when it hits the shelf.
The business is centered around food and food brands, which was intentionally niche to help build happy, thriving food businesses with strategy, design, recipe development, photography, and video content.
“The goal for Quincy Street Kitchen is to be a one-stop shop for brands to develop everything they need to make their business stand out. My goal is that if someone like Target taps you on the shoulder and wants to sell your product, you’ve got everything you need to make the brand shine.”
Their team works both on and off-site, frequently visiting their clients’ restaurants and studios to capture them in action. As a small business with a vast network of resources, they offer everything from small packages for startup businesses to multi-day photo shoots with a dozen experts on staff. Kristen’s goal has always been to meet her clients where they are and help elevate their brands, which is why one of their most popular services, a Social Content Sprint, was created.
The Quincy Street Kitchen studio is a foodie dream. With two large, fully functioning kitchens, and closets filled with plates, bowls, glassware, and props galore, it’s a space for Kristen and her clients to play and create beautiful campaigns and content.
“Every day is different, which is why I love my job. For example, today, I’m testing State Fair recipes for a client like pickled lemonade and a s’mores funnel cake. Tomorrow, I might be on set at a photo shoot and the next, I’ll work with a brand on developing their social media strategy.”
One thing is for sure: Quincy Street Kitchen is always serving up delicious, thoughtful content, and we can’t wait to see what they’re cooking up next.
Emma Geary
Emma is the one writing it all down. She's been with LAB since 2021 and is finishing her MFA in Creative Writing in her spare time. Her favorite color right now is cobalt blue.
