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

Britt, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

“The Sweetish Chef” is more than just a cute play on words. It’s the perfect name for what I do, for more than one reason. Growing up, and well into my adulthood, my siblings and I always called my mother “The Swedish Chef,’ (referring to the character from the muppets). Not only was she Swedish, but she was pretty funny in the kitchen. It was chaotic, messy, and loud…but the food was always amazing.
Unfortunately she passed away in 2018 and it was clear to us that had she eaten right and taken care of herself, she would’ve still been with us today. Part of the issue was that she was diabetic but never wanted to admit it.
I made it a mission to create desserts and treats for people that would help them stay on track with their diets while still making them feel satisfied. Everything is grain free and sugar free, but doesn’t taste like it. It only made sense to say my treats are “sweet-ish,” and also give a nod to my mother’s nickname. She was my driving force and passion in this endeavor.

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

Years and years ago, my sister was diagnosed with Celiac disease. This was before any of us had ever heard of it. We learned it was typically genetic, so I decided to avoid gluten anyway. It was a game changer for my gut health as well as my skin and joints. Then about ten years ago, I went grain free and sugar free after reading all the benefits. I loved how I felt and I loved creating dishes and treats that would help me continue that lifestyle.
When my mother suddenly passed away in 2018 due to complications related to being diabetic, I was a mess. I wanted to crawl into a hole. I was angry, upset, even lost at times. I wanted to transfer all my energy into something positive. I knew I could make delicious treats that cater to diabetics, and I was hoping if I could even help one more person stay here longer by contributing to their well-being, I would feel like I succeeded. So I learned all about baking from home, obtained a home baker’s permit, registered my business, and began baking from home with just a Facebook page to spread the word. I then went on to doing farmer’s markets, and when I felt I needed a bigger kitchen with lesser restrictions, I opened the brick and mortar in Ballston Spa.
What’s really amazing is that even though the focus is a diabetic diet, many other people come to us for other reasons. Our treats help people on anti-inflammatory diets, people who have or are currently battling cancer, and people who are gluten free.
We use high quality ingredients (almond flour, avocado oil, farm fresh eggs, organic items etc.) and I love that so many people understand the importance of good health.
So many customers tell me about their lives…incredible stories…crazy health journeys, all of it! I love hearing them. We have laughed a lot and cried a lot. And it just means so much to me that they share all these emotions with me. I think it’s so important to connect with others in general and I want them to know I truly care.
I absolutely adore what I do and I’m thankful I was able to create something beautiful even when it stemmed from some darkness. Is it difficult? Absolutely. But I love my purpose and it’s all worth it.

It’s really been an amazing journey; I think as long as I keep this passion burning in my soul, I can never fail. I always remember my “why”.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

I feel I took a big risk- opening right after Covid, but also with having such a specialty kind of bakery. I knew I didn’t have much support, aside from my family who endlessly cheered me on. My stepdad was one of my biggest cheerleaders and he loved my mother dearly. We talked a lot about my business and he wanted it to grow beyond just than just the farmer’s markets. I wanted to make him proud and I would always look for spaces that I could have my bakery.
I’ll never forget when I found the space. By this time, he was very sick, so I sat in his bed and showed him the pictures on the laptop. He nodded and quietly said “you need to do this.”
I realized I was running out of time. He passed away in April of 2021, and I signed the lease in May.
I probably could have waited until everyone felt more comfortable going out and about after the Covid pandemic. I knew it was risky, but I felt so compelled to carry out what I felt was important.
Also the fact that not many people really understood my type of baking didn’t really help. There were definitely naysayers with comments like “but why would anyone buy that?” And I’d reply, “Why would anyone buy a cupcake, or a salad from the store, or a rotisserie chicken?” I honestly didn’t care. I knew there were people out there that could benefit from my products and I didn’t care how many. It was never about money; it still isn’t, as it’s still a very small niche. It’s about knowing the need for something and knowing I can fix it.
When we opened, I could not believe the amount of support and people that came flooding in. I actually couldn’t keep up at first! It was amazing but overwhelming! I definitely wasn’t prepared, but soon it calmed down a bit and I was able to get the flow.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I would say I started with the page and asked friends to like it. I made sure to post often, and I paid attention to what got attention. I looked at pages of bakeries that had tons of followers and tried to understand what they all had in common. Variation is key-photos are good, but videos are good too. Personally, I don’t like to see long posts with lots of words…so I keep things short and sweet…and sometimes humorous.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sweetish-chef.com
• Instagram: TheSweetishChefLLC
• Facebook: TheSweetishChefLLC