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The fun & fascinating stories of Supply Chain & Logistics.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:00:03] Hi, my name is Bryndis Whitson, and you're listening to the Zebras to Apples podcast, the fun and fascinating stories of supply chain logistics. Food is a passion for some people. Food is something we all eat every single day. And today's interview is with someone who has a passion for food, for cooking, for really good home meals. And it's really showcasing how setting up your own business, creating sauces that you love, all have a bit of a supply chain behind it, because you have to find all of those key ingredients. Today, we're talking with my really good friend Bridget, and it's a really great conversation. Thank you so much for listening, and have a wonderful day.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:00:58] So I'm here with Bridget, and we're going to be talking a lot about cooking and a whole bunch of different areas that you wouldn't think are actually supply chain logistics, but they definitely have an interesting layer in there too. Welcome.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:01:13] Thank you. Hello.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:01:15] So kind of talking about we were just kind of before we started talking about some of your career and your love of cooking.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:01:24] Yeah, I do have a love of cooking. Kind of feel like it's, um, a goodness that I can provide. Well, I mean, it all stemmed from my family just growing up in that environment, and food was always such a center. The kitchen was a very important place.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:01:39] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:01:39] You know, my dad didn't actually cook at the beginning. It was always my mom, but, and she stayed home with us. But funny enough, when she started working, after all of us were in school, we'd come home and there'd be, like, a full roast beef dinner ready for us. Oh, wow. Yeah. She. It was like. I think I didn't realize it until I was older. That her, you know, part time job was actually her time off because she really focused on us, which was quite nice. And then they would always have, like, lovely dinner parties and. The cooking would be outstanding. You know, she'd even set a table for the kids that were coming over. There was a dance floor in her house because they were avid dancers, so everybody would dance and just enjoy it so much, like it was just so. It was glamorous.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:02:27] Oh, wow. That's amazing.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:02:29] Yeah. No, they were very generous. I think, and I picked that up from them. You know, just realizing how important food is to your life and how it's kind of it's so nourishing.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:02:44] Yeah. And it's in everything we eat like it's so much part of everything we do.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:02:51] Everything. Happy, sad, mad, glad.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:02:55] And everything in between.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:02:57] And everything in between. Everything can be an indulgence but.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:03:03] Mhm. And so you started originally with a bakery.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:03:07] Yes we did a bakery in Chestermere. It started off as a bakery essentially with beautiful homemade desserts and squares and things like that. Beautiful coffee. And then we ended up making a beautiful meal every day. And at that time, the community was quite small. So we would do everything from roast beef, roasted chicken, cabbage rolls, you know, salmon, just really good food. Nourishing, healthy, homemade. And so in those days, you couldn't order online. People would actually phone the shop and say, hey, what are you making for dinner tonight? So you tell them, oh, we're making salmon with roasted potatoes and asparagus. Oh, I'll take three of those. I'll pick it up on my way home.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:03:53] Oh, perfect.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:03:54] Yeah. And then, you know, we'd be sold out really early, and that happened to be an everyday occurrence, so it was pretty fantastic.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:04:02] What was it like setting up the bakery?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:04:06] Oh my goodness. You know, I didn't think that it would have been the way that it was, like in my mind. But once you get it all set up because we built it all and did it all ourselves. Oh, yeah. And then I've always been an excellent baker, I mean always. So that's why we kind of stemmed it from there. And we also had a very great love of cooking. So it was just basically a homemade store. Mhm. And so you know it was something to offer that was wholesome. Yeah I think that would be a really good word.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:04:40] And I'm sure that when you were setting everything up, you're also starting to learn where your new suppliers are and also setting up the entire piece.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:04:49] Yes. It was. You have to source out your coffee and your ingredients and, yeah, it really is something. It was actually something very new to me. Yeah. But in the end, it all kind of fell together and then from there doing catering and I mean, it could have been even as something, as something as cooking, as lunches for the kids at school.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:05:10] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:05:11] I think there was one time I had to make 500 brownies and macaroni and cheese and a Rice Krispie square. It was crazy.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:05:18] Oh, wow.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:05:20] And, you know, like, there's a little bit of fear in there. But, you know, at the end of the day, yeah, you do it.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:05:25] But it's also about timing because you probably only have so much space, so much. And everything needs to be fresh. So you have to like time things.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:05:25] Everything has to be timed. You're right. Everything has to be fresh. Because, you know, that's kind of the essential to what you're doing.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:05:43] Well and it adds that piece too when you're kind of like you know, creating it all together. Because if one gets a little too fast or one's a little too slow, it kind of fully changes your timing.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:05:59] Yeah. Actually, Ken, you know, think of all those little things. But yes, there can be many things that happen that try to mess you up, but somehow you figure it out. You're thinking on your feet. Right. Because you have to essentially deliver what you have to deliver, have it ready for pickup. So. Yes.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:06:17] That's true. I get a feeling like. And I remembered that two came up there when you had to kind of like do.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:06:26] Oh yeah. No, I was just thinking of it before. I mean, when I was younger, I mean, I've always really loved to cook, even though I couldn't cook, it was more about decorating a plate or whatever it was. And this one year, this is, well, I don't even think we were married yet. Or maybe we were. Anyway, we decided that we were going to, all of us kids were going to relieve my mom of cooking Thanksgiving dinner and my job, because everybody in the family was really into onions. So my job was to fry the onions, which I did, and I thought I did a fabulous job. Well, it turned out that I ended up frying them in dish soap and people were like, what is this? And my mom's like, show me what you did. Oh my heavens. And then my uncle raised Sarah with God rest his soul with his girlfriend Pam. And they're like, these are really great onions. Oh, my mom could have killed me. But it's just funny. Like when you look at your past to see where you are now, it's actually quite funny.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:07:28] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:07:29] Fully so.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:07:30] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:07:31] And then when we were newly married, I think I made this Kofi for my husband, but I put ginormous amounts of fresh ginger in. I swear, I almost killed the guy. Like, he couldn't even. I think it took him about five years to eat fresh ginger again.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:07:47] Oh, wow.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:07:47] No, it was brutal. Yeah. Those are the little stories that I think of. Like the memories of. Yeah. Fully kind of funny. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:07:56] Oh, I've got so many flashbacks for myself right now, too. Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:07:59] Yeah, yeah. Once I made a cake and I forgot to put the sugar in it.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:08:08] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:08:08] Poor human. Exactly.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:08:10] Yeah. And so how long did you have the bakery? Was it?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:08:14] Oh, I think for a few years. And then I ended up. We ended up moving into making curry sauces, and they were simmering sauces just in a jar. Well, people just had to add their protein or veggie, and they're good to go in 20 minutes. Basically good ingredients, wholesome. Like, just a really wonderful way to have a good meal.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:08:34] Oh, yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:08:35] And we ended up doing farmers markets and really grassroots, like meeting the people selling the sauce. I remember the first time we went to the farmers market, and at that time we had just started and people were sampling our products, but they were like dying after they ate them because we didn't realize how. I didn't realize how hot I'd make them. So anyway, I had to reduce the, yeah, that level. And it turned out to be very successful. Like people really liked it. And then we ended up going retail after that. I mean, there was a time when we were doing, I think in the week, probably seven markets. There was one where we were going out on Thursdays to Canmore, to the Mountain Market, and then running back by 4:00 to start the McKenzie Town Market. Yeah. And, you know, the reception was really lovely.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:09:23] Oh, yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:09:23] And then we ended up going retail. And then I think we focused on retail after that kind of simmer out of the markets. But yeah. But there's something really beautiful about doing farmer's markets. You really get to connect with your people, with your customer. Like you know, you have that connection.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:09:41] Yeah. And you got a real understanding of what people like about your sauces and those kinds of pieces, or like you were saying how you could adapt the recipes a little bit, too.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:09:52] Yeah. You can suit your needs. But I mean essentially they're just ready. Mhm. So yeah. And so now I'm really focused on my meal prep service and my cooking classes. I cook, I teach Indian cooking classes because I feel like it's really nice to be able to learn how to make a proper curry. Right. And I don't think it's as complicated as it's made out to be. I mean, oftentimes, I mean, I'll do the same thing. You're looking through a cookbook and there's like 32 items there and you're like, ah, yeah, I'm not making that or the effort or the time. And I just don't think about it, I think it can be very simplified.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:010:33] Yeah. Well, and it also helps those that aren't as great at cooking or believe that they're not actually realize that they can.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:010:40] Yeah, it actually does give them a lot of confidence. It really does. And I like the meal prep because then I can feed families and you connect, you know, you really connect and then you're offering some goodness and nutrition and.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:10:52] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:10:52] It's really just kind of full circle, right.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:10:55] Fully. Oh, I really like that. Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:10:57] Yeah, I love it. I think it's something that I, it's almost like something that I have to give, you know, because it's something that was given to me. Yeah. And I've, it's really out of love. And I'm so grateful that I'm able to do that, like, fully I really am. Like, it's just that it can be overwhelming. Yeah. And it is something that I need to give because why keep it.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:11:24] Mhm. Well and the amount of knowledge that you're passing on is.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:11:29] Oh it's fabulous.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:11:30] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:11:30] Well it's just like my mom learned from her mom and her mom. It's just generational.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:11:34] Right.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:11:35] So. And I quite like that. Yeah a lot.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:11:38] I like. Yeah, it adds that full home kind of feeling.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:11:43] Yes it.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:11:43] Is. Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:11:44] Yeah, it really is. I think that's where I love that. I love that it's real goodness. Yeah. That you're providing.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:11:52] Yeah. So as you're setting up your, your business and your kind of in the process of trying to find spices and stuff like that, where were you able to find the spices for, you know, all of your different dishes.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:12:08] Oh well, I ended up um, I ended up going straight to the source. It was in Montreal. And what I loved about it was that none of the spices were treated with radiation and the purity of them was really exceptional. And that's actually a really important thing because you know, you don't know what's being put into your spice because it's all ground up and you don't know how it's been treated. Yeah. Like even our turmeric is treated with, it's steamed, not with radiation. So it's got the high potency. And like, it's got all the goodness in it, like the medicinal properties and things. Yeah. So yeah. No really good source of spice there.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:12:55] And where did you find, so you found it in Montreal. But did you have to like, really go digging to find them or?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:13:01] Yes. I think that was my husband's job. He's very good at that.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:13:04] That's good.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:13:06] I'm a cooker. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:13:07] No. And that's exactly. Yeah, but finding all those spices and making sure that you have those pieces ready to go too.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:13:16] Yeah. You really like when you think of it as you're talking about it, it takes a lot from going to a meal for four people and the spice that you're using and how much to when you're, you know, doing what you're doing in a larger vessel.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:13:31] It's fully.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:13:33] So I'm sure we made a few mistakes, but I think it turned out quite.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:13:37] Well, I'm sure. Yeah, I think it worked out really well.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:13:40] Well, it's a balance, right? I really kind of have to. You want it to be balanced because it shouldn't be strong in anything.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:13:46] And did you start kind of making the sauces like in your kitchen or did you have your?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:13:52] Uh, no, actually we had a commercial kitchen. At that time when we just started. We yeah, we were in a kitchen, but before that, before we ended up in a commercial kitchen, we'd rent different spaces and things like that just to test it out. And then eventually it just fell into where it is. So yeah, there's a little bit of a process there. But it's nice to have your own kitchen then you're not, you know, carrying all your stuff with you all the time.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:14:16] Yeah. That must have been a little.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:14:19] It was a little hectic, but, you know, you do when you're at that stage, that's what you're doing.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:14:23] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:14:24] And at that time, it just feels normal because you're trying to do something. And then eventually it just went into what it was in. And, um, that was very nice. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:14:33] And so. Uh, when you were making kind of lasagnas and samosas and that kind of part of your catering business, did you make them, like in the commercial kitchen and then transform transport them or.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:14:48] Well, I mean, I was doing cooking classes for people because people wanted to learn how to make curry. Yeah. And that was wonderful. And then what would happen was when we were doing our sauces, too, we would end up when we went retail, we would end up demoing our products in the stores. And we ended up doing well. We were at like Community Natural Foods and they had a hot table.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:15:15] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:15:16] That they weren't using yet. And this was a very long time ago. And then we ended up doing their buffet for them. And we would do everything like curry food to scallop potatoes, salmon like shepherd's pie, lasagna, whatever. Yeah. Whatever was on our menu. And then we basically prepare it in our kitchen, and then you have to transport it to the stores to receive. And, you know, then they take care of it. It's really quite interesting how that worked out. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:15:45] And so was it like a regular cart? Did you have a cargo van? Did you like those? Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:15:51] Yeah, those are all little things they have to do. Or minivan. You're putting it in cambrosse because it's leaving your shop. It's leaving your kitchen hot.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:16:00] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:16:01] And then you're putting it in cambrosse and then transferring it to the store, and then they receive it. It's hot. Mhm. And then they're serving it because they have their own equipment at their store and stuff. But then I ventured into well I think at the same time I was, we were doing all the samosas and pakoras for, you know making different Delhi's look pretty. I did that for Sunterra and Community. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:16:25] Well, I find it really neat is around the time you were doing that, I actually worked really close to Community and I would eat lunch there. And I would never have guessed at all that it was not done on site. No, I never would have.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:16:45] And the chicken soup. I mean, oh my goodness, the amount of chicken soup we made. Chicken veggie soup with rice. Yeah, it was like it had wings. I mean, it was just so good. Yeah. Yeah. And then, you know, just doing catering, and people would order from us and.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:16:59] Well, and, you know, just like in that kind of catering or ordering and stuff like that area, you know, when you're there are there specific retailers that you order like the chicken from or things like that or?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:17:13] Well, I mean, that was some years ago and I think now people just contact me. Yeah. And say, oh, hey. And then I, you know, I do have it on my website where I can have some Indian dishes and samosas and things like that, but certainly not the menu that I had before. But as far as a meal service, I do have some people that still order from me. You know, I don't, uh, I don't advertise it that way anymore because I like to do the meal prep for people, and I like to do the cooking classes and. Yeah. So.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:17:49] Yeah. And, you know, when Covid happened, you know, a lot of things changed. How was Covid for you?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:17:55] Oh, brutal. Yeah, it was just brutal. You know, everybody was so scared. And then all of a sudden, you know, we would be dead. And then somebody would order 13 cases of tandoori sauce, which would be completely out of the blue.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:18:10] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:18:11] It was just honestly a very strange time. But yes, it did affect our business drastically.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:18:17] Well, and having to, like, suddenly manage like. Yeah, the quietness then all of sudden a large order. Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:18:25] Yeah. It was kind of scary, you know, because you have to. It was just what it was. But yeah, we were definitely affected by it.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:18:32] Yeah. But you learn to adapt in different ways or.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:18:35] You did and especially like the no contact delivery, like, um, it was crazy.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:18:41] Oh yeah. That would be because it would completely switch the way you would drop something off or those kinds of.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:18:48] You know, even just in our procedures.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:18:50] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:18:50] In the kitchen. What we had to do, you know, it was just very difficult. I found it very difficult.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:18:58] Yeah. But you've been able to adapt since and. Yes, yes. And move on to the.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:19:04] Move on to the next and better thing. Yeah. Doing what I love to do.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:19:08] Yeah. And so with this kind of new venture or not new venture, but this kind of, you know, teaching people, prepping, do you have your own kitchen? Do people come to you?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:19:20] Do you know, I do it so that I'm cooking in their kitchen, so that their meals are cooked in their home and provided for them. They just tell me what they want. You know, some people order a couple, like they go through what they would like could be two meals, it could be four meals. And basically I just all put it all together and they can reheat. I mean, people are busy today. Yeah. There is no time. You know, when you think about shopping, cooking, cleaning up, that's a lot of time for a lot of people, especially young, busy families or people just I mean, we just live in such a busy world. You know, and so I think what happens is a lot of people, without even knowing it, compromise their nutrition because we're so away from the homemade. Yeah. You know, even as something, as a cake, you know, you don't realize or some people do, but just the goodness of the homemade baking.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:20:21] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:20:21] Without all of the glucose syrup and yes, all of the things. Wow. That's delicious. Oh, what's in it? And you look at it, it's like, oh my goodness. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:20:30] Well yeah. Because you think of it like when you're using a package versus the simple, you know, steps that happen in those other. Yeah. Yeah. In a, in a non packaged recipe.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:20:43] And it's just, you know the love of putting it together and just the time I mean you can taste it. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Like, you know, if I make a lasagna and. Okay. Sure. It may take me some time, but, you know, it's going to be pretty delicious. And it wouldn't be like something that you'd buy store bought, obviously. But. Yeah, but yeah, I think people are today compromising their family meals and their family time. And I mean, we're always on the run. People are working and taking their kids places. And or maybe you have your own social events that you have to go to. It's hard. It's hard to take the time because you've got to keep up with your schedule?
Bryndis Whitson: [00:21:23] Exactly.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:21:24] Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:21:24] Yeah. Well, and it brings that kind of like we were saying earlier about that, you know, feeling of home and it really reminding people that they can easily do this. Where sometimes I think in their heads they're like, I just don't have time.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:21:39] Well, I think it can be very overwhelming. You know, we don't live in that age anymore. No. And so, um, just to have some homemade goodness, it could be a reminder of, you know, when you were growing up or, like, the taste of something, you know, even just doing some really beautiful mashed potatoes with gravy. I mean, I love it. I'm so meat and potatoes that I mean, that's delicious. But then I have other people that like to eat low carb or keto or, you know, you just have to gluten free, you know, whatever their dietary needs are basically. And I think it just takes out the stress for them, which I enjoy too. And I like the connection of, you know, working with people and sharing that goodness.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:22:21] Yeah. And so when you're doing the meal prep, do you bring all of the ingredients to the house?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:22:26] Yes, I would do the shopping for them. So from start to finish I would do the shopping, go to their house and do all the cooking and prep and you know they can decide if they want a bigger batch meal or if they just want four servings of it whatever they decide. And because I can make the meal and then have a few extra to freeze or put in the fridge for lunches or whatever. Yeah, it's very flexible.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:22:49] Exactly. And do you have a distributor or like that you use or do you go to the grocery store or?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:22:57] No, I would actually do the shopping at grocery stores and places that I like to shop.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:23:02] Yeah. Well, that makes it good because then you're, you know, the products too.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:23:06] I know the product. I know I know what ingredients I like.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:23:10] Mhm. Is there a favorite ingredient that you like?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:23:13] Oh my gosh. Everything I just love I just love. Yeah. Wonderful food. Mhm.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:23:19] If you could. Well, you said lasagna a few times, but if you could make kind of like a favorite meal or two, what would you choose for myself? For yourself? Yes.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:23:29] Oh. For myself. Oh, well, I love chicken biryani. Mhm. Um, well, actually I love curry. Yeah. I mean, it's actually so funny that I say that because when we were growing up, my mom actually didn't make that for us. And if she did, there was like no chili in it. And it wasn't until we were teenagers that, you know, you could kind of take it on a little bit. Yeah, I mean, you suffered for it, but, you know, eventually it just becomes a part of you. And now it's funny that I like to eat it so much, but. Oh my goodness, I love everything. Everything. Like I love a classic roasted chicken dinner. Yeah. You know, I just love all of that.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:24:04] Mhm. And if you're baking do you have a favorite?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:24:07] I would have to say chocolate cake. Mhm. I love chocolate cake. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:24:10] So when you're doing chocolate cake do you. What do you do, what type of chocolate do you use?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:24:17] I would use Callebaut.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:24:18] Mhm. Okay.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:24:19] I would.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:24:20] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:24:21] I think that's probably the best. And it matters because there's really a good quality. Yeah. It matters fully.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:24:29] Yeah. And so if you were starting or giving advice to someone that was starting either in catering, in owning a business, in, uh, running a bakery, any of those kinds of things, what advice would you give?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:24:43] Be confident. Be confident in your skill. Don't let the fear creep in. Yeah. And just go do it.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:24:52] You can definitely do it.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:24:53] Do it.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:24:54] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:24:55] I mean really.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:24:57] Mhm.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:24:58] I mean I was an excellent baker and you know we just did it. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:25:03] Well it sounds like there was also a lot of teamwork between you and your husband.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:25:06] Oh 100%. Yeah. Yeah. He was my everything. Yeah. We can kind of cook together and you don't even have to speak. We just know what we're doing for each other.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:25:16] Yeah, exactly.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:25:17] So it's, uh. No, it's very synergetic. I can't even say it. Synergy. We have synergy. Synergistic? Yeah. Good synergy. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:25:25] Well. And it. It sounds like two with the synergy of, like, balancing many parts of the business to 100%.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:25:33] Yeah, 100%. And my kids are great taste testers. Oh, perfect. Oh, and they're so honest.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:25:38] Yeah. That's probably been a few moments of. Oh, yes. No.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:25:43] I'm sure. Yeah, I'm sure, but I don't take it terribly. It's good. Like I need to know, right? Hey, is this good? No. Okay.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:25:54] Any moments that where that happened?
Bridget Rathwell: [00:25:57] Oh, I'm sure several times.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:25:58] Yeah.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:25:59] I mean, professionally, maybe not professionally, but I remember when I used to go away for business trips and things like that. And so, you know, I could cook great things, but I think once I tried to make them cod and I tried to make them steak and I just bombed. And they joke with me now and I'm like, well, let me try. Now I'm sure I could do a great job now. Yeah. Yeah. No, there have been different times, like the one time we had to throw out a whole pot of spaghetti sauce because I just. I don't even know what I did, but it was terrible. Yeah. And I always tell my kids, don't eat my food if I'm not happy. Yeah. Well, your energy matters, right?
Bryndis Whitson: [00:26:39] Exactly.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:26:40] You know, when I go in and cook, you know, it's, you have to be in the right frame. You have to. It's passionate. You want to do it. It's positive. And I think that really comes out in your food. Yeah.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:26:53] It really does.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:26:54] It really does. I think that's why it tastes so good.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:26:57] So I really appreciated the kind of chats that we've had over the last year or year or so as we've been kind of chatting. And I knew that your experience and the pieces that you've kind of learned along the way are very valuable and they're really good fun stories too.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:27:19] So thank you Bryndis.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:27:20] Yeah, and thank you for being here today.
Bridget Rathwell: [00:27:22] Thank you for inviting me. It was a pleasure.
Bryndis Whitson: [00:27:28] Thank you for listening to this Zebras to Apples podcast episode. I hope you enjoyed the showcase of the fun and fascinating stories of supply chain logistics. If you liked this episode, I would love it if you could give it a rating and review. For more information about this topic, you can go to Zebrastoapples.com, or follow Zebras to Apples on the social media platform of your choosing, whether that's Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Bluesky, or LinkedIn. You can support the show on Patreon. Also, check out the show notes below. Please join me again for another episode of Zebras to Apples. Have a wonderful day!