We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenn Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jenn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Campfire Cuisine had been an idea for a long time before I got involved…

My co-founder, Steve Starks, is a food lover with a natural talent for cooking. When he moved to Denver he was interested in spending more time outdoors, but wasn’t quite sure how to get started. It wasn’t until he picked up a camera in pursuit of a new pandemic hobby that he was drawn to the mountains. He soon found a love in nature photography and realized he might as well pick up hiking too, doing his first 14er before the end 2020.

Steve hadn’t really been too outdoorsy prior to moving to Denver, and as a Black man from Texas, the major challenge that he had to navigate when it came to outdoor recreation was of access. It’s not something talked about much, but for people of color there are a lot of barriers when it comes to entering the outdoor recreation space. Access to the knowledge, to equipment and to a welcoming community that makes activities like hiking, snowboarding and rock climbing possible and…well, enjoyable isn’t as common for Black and Brown people because of the system we live in.

To get past these social, economical and mental barriers, Steve leaned into cooking. It is, after all, a natural connector.

Ignited by the want for a simple steak dinner on the first night hiking Mt. Sneffels, he once carried a 12 inch cast iron skillet all the way up to basecamp and back. He began being known as “The Mountain Chef,” preparing hotpot meals for groups of 10 for PR trips and doing cooking demos for outdoor brand parties. Over the years he’s cooked for many people in the outdoor industry and formed relationships that gave him access to the education, gear and community he needed to try new hobbies and build a name for himself in the industry. But, the more access he had, the more he began to want to help break down barriers for others with limited access and see more people like him out enjoying the outdoors.

With that in mind, Steve came up with Campfire Cuisine.

Campfire Cuisine started as a concept for a video series where he would share outdoor cooking instruction, hiking guidance and gear reviews. The goal was to educate in an organic, authentic, and relatable way to reduce the intimidation factor that many face when entering the outdoor recreation space.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My story is a little different from Steve’s. I grew up in New Hampshire and learned to ski as part of a program at my elementary school. I started snowboarding at 13. Not too long after I learned, I caught an edge and got a concussion that scared me away from the mountains all together. My stepdad, who had taught me (and my sister) and been snowboarding for decades and even competed in races around the US, spent the next ten years buying me gear to encourage me back onto a board. Eventually it worked and I made my best friend learn, too. After that, we started going all the time. We used all our PTO for snowboarding trips – going to Tahoe, Alyeska and of course, Colorado. My skills got way better, and I couldn’t stay away.

When I wasn’t chasing the sun and the snow, I was working. I’d developed a professional career in creative and brand marketing as a project manager and had spent over a decade working for and with non-profit, community and corporate clients to tell brand stories. I worked with strategists and designers to create experiences – live and digital – that were impactful and memorable. And after June 2020, much of my work was to create experiences for Black and Brown professionals in tech, insurance and business operations.

While I loved being able to connect with my peers through my work, the emotional labor that comes with being one of few Black employees became too much. My anxiety was increasing almost as fast as corporations were decreasing the use of DEI language in their messaging, my work felt less impactful, and the support I needed just didn’t exist.

But by early 2025, I was burnt out and decided to take a mental health leave.

During my leave I spent more time outdoors with friends. I tried new hobbies, and I got introduced to the outdoor industry in a way I hadn’t before. I met Steve and I learned about Campfire Cuisine. I saw the potential, the need, and the impact it could have. I knew I could use my skillset to help.

After months of talking things through, we decided to combine our experiences and launch Campfire Cuisine – not as one video series, but as a culinary experience and media company rooted in outdoor education.

We work with individuals, companies and brands who love the outdoors as much as we do to craft unique, hands-on, culinary experiences that encourage authentic connection. Think cooking demos, classes, competitions and more that incorporate important principals like Leave No Trace and other outdoor education basics. Through memorable experiences and education, we aim to create an outdoors that is welcoming, safe and accessible for all –no matter a person’s background, experience, or activity level.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Steve and I actually met on a dating app. We both snowboard so when Weston Splitfest was coming up, he invited me. I’d never boarded outside a resort and the idea was daunting. Downhill is one thing, but uphill was new terrain for me. I wasn’t confident I had the stamina for skinning…plus I was anxious about avalanches. I told a new friend of mine about the event and found out she’d bought a splitboard on Facebook Marketplace a few months early. She’d never been either but she was dying to give it a try. Her “send it” attitude was exactly what I needed.

As Steve and I spent more time together and he shared his vision for Campfire Cuisine, I kept thinking about how I felt at Splitfest. With gear rentals, demos, information sessions and more, it was a real entry point for people interested in backcountry skiing and snowboarding. I was met where I was comfortable, given access to new information, and supported to explore more.

I told Steve that is what he to do with Campfire Cuisine – encourage people outdoors with food experiences, share knowledge, and build community. After a few informal brainstorm sessions, he was onboard. But not without me.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Starting my own business was always something I’d thought of doing, but the security of a full-time corporate job was all I knew and I wanted to have a real plan for Campfire Cuisine before making a shift professionally. I was still burnt out, and while the outdoor industry seemed to be a bit more relaxed, work was work and I wasn’t ready to go back. But in June, just before I was scheduled to end my mental health leave, I was laid off.

I started applying for new jobs and was constantly fielding questions from my family about what was next for me professionally. I didn’t really know. Campfire Cuisine was still just an idea and almost every person I talked told me about rolling layoffs at their companies as well.

Scrolling through job postings, nothing held my attention quite like the idea of Campfire Cuisine.

I knew launching a business in an unfamiliar industry was a big risk. My anxiety was back up and I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t have a plan. Having a plan was always part of my plan, and planning for me was everything. Plans keep things in order. Plans keep things moving. And plans prevent failure.

I also knew Campfire Cuisine was the answer.

Campfire Cuisine officially launched in October 2025, and we’ve been figuring it out as we go. I had to unlearn that I needed to have a plan before acting. While it helps me feel ready and in control, having a plan can keep me acting out of fear instead of belief. I’m still a planner, but I’m learning to “send it” a bit more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.campfirecuisine.events/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campfirecuisine.events
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Campfire-cuisine/61581374501305/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/campfire-cuisine-llc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CampfireCuisine.Events