We were lucky to catch up with Katie Rodgers recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry

A trend I’m interested in is fresh meals to go. Covid did a number on the Restaurant industry, no question. But that doesn’t change the fact that food takes time to prepare and the average household is going to seek out someone else who is skilled to prepare it for them once a weekish. In my experience, people are more curious about meals they can feel good about eating and sharing with loved ones. There has been a steady move away from grabbing a bag of burgers and fries. A curiosity to move more into the lane of nourishing ones self with foods that not only fill you up but give you the nutrients your body needs. It’s ecxiting as a chef to see people respond to the thoughtfulness of ingredient choices, time of labor and interesting flavor profiles. I hope the trend of fresh meals to go continues because, in my mind as the creative working in it, it’s a hidden pause button. Yes, youre too busy to cook yourself BUT you chose to slow down and make a healthier choice to really feed your body what you need.

Katie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Katie Rodgers and I am the chef behind Soup of the Week Club. I’ve worked in restaurants wearing all kinds of hats for 20 years. I received my Culinary degree in 2008 and cut my teeth in Columbus Ohio for a few years before moving to Alaska to cook in Denali National Park. It was a beautiful experience that kept in National Park work for about 7 years travelling from Alaska to Wyoming to Florida. I was also able to meet life long friends and explore Europe before finally settling in Washington for a few years. Once my son hit the scene, I could feel it was time to get back to Ohio and be closer to family. Not long after, Covid shut down the restaurant industry and I pivoted to Nannying. I wanted my son to be able to be around other children so we bubbled with 2 other fantastic families who were able to work remotely. I took care of the kids during they day and they took care of me financially. It worked beautifully as my Mother was helping to care for my son and I wanted to be sure I could keep her safe as an elderly person.

Unfortunately, my Mother suffered a severe heart attack during a time when the hospitals were full of people trying to self medicate away Covid and we lost her. It was devastating and all I could focus on was being a Mom, working an administrative Chef job at University of Cincinnati and breathing. There wasnt much creativity in my life because I wasnt able. As i moved through my grief, it started to show back up. I was able to create new recipes at UC and was actually recognized Nationally with Aramark for a Vegetarian Chorizo Pizza that is still used today in the concessionary places they serve.

I noticed myself looking through random side hustles to bring in a little more money. With my Mom gone, I knew childcare was going to get much more expensive as a single Mother. Here in Wyoming Ohio there is a very active Friends and Family Facebook group that I proposed a Soup Club to. I thought we would exchange recipes, a few mason jars of soup and just share our creativity. Maybe that would lead to some more interesting networking. Turns out, the community had a better idea: I create all the soups and they buy them off me! I rapidly put together a model of making a guaranteed 24 quarts of soup. If there were any extra, I would let the group know. The 24 orders will very quickly sell out though so we had to implement a wait list. I would aim to make as much as possible on my 4 burner stove. Then we started add-ons: something that would accompany the soup. A sweet, a cracker, corn muffins, herb and goat cheese bites. All scratch, fresh made. Everyone was loving it and I became known as the Soup Lady. All off a Facebook group and out of my house!

Now the Club is evolving. My plan was always to have the Club go dormant during the summer. Not much appetite for hot soup and more time to be a Mom and enjoy lazy summer days with my 6 year old. But, its damn near September, school is back in session and I’m attempting to build a website for the Club to make it as legit as possible. Lindsey Bonadonna, the owner of be. in Wyoming Ohio has graciously allowed me to move my operation to her kitchens and made me her Creavtive Culinary Director. The Club has been such a gift. Reaffirming that I am a talented, deserving creative badass and I am insanely grateful to the community here in Wyoming Ohio for helping to lift me out of a very dark time in life.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Soup of the Week Club started as a side hustle out of the house. It was a shock that it took off but I think what helped was the built in urgency. I was just using my 4 burner stove top so I capped orders at 24 Quarts. If there were extra I would announce to the Facebook group but most weeks we had to build a waitlist. I would have Soupers ordering 2-3 quarts and 2-3 add-on sides. People were telling me that had set alarms on their phones for 12 pm Thursdays, the day and time I would announce the following soup, so they could be sure they could get their order in. It was one of those occurances where running out was an excellent thing!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Being a woman in the Culinary world has its own set of challenges but being a single mother and taking a chance on yourself? Next to impossible. Its a very particular schedule to adhere to that makes life run smooth. Ive been especially blessed to have understanding, compassionate employers and a background of kick ass, take names later women in my family and friend circle. There isnt a more determined force on earth than a mother who has decided shes got to get the job done. And thats where my resilience comes from. Knowing the most important persn on Earth is counting me to succeed and keep lifting us higher.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: soupoftheweekclub
• Facebook: Currently a private group but getting face lifts before the end of September