Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon English
Hi Shannon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Although most of my customers know me for my seasonal GF baked goods, I actually got my start offering a squash-based chili back in Thanksgiving of 2023. My car registration renewal almost always falls on Thanksgiving (I guess to remind me that I should be grateful to own a car?), and I had nothing set aside to pay the bill. A few days before Thanksgiving I was freaking out talking to my partner Rafael about it and he said, “How can you use what you have already and just go for it, without asking for permission?”- as if this was the most reasonable idea in the world. A few weeks prior I had taught my first seasonal squash chili cooking demo at Foodshed City Heights and had a blast! So I responded, “Are you suggesting I do something I actually enjoy like make a bunch of squash chili and offer it up to my community?!” to which Rafael said, “Well what do you have to lose?”- I hate it when he makes sense.
I shot a video and posted it to my story on IG offering homemade squash chili for thanksgiving and hoped for the best. The reception was great! I received more than enough orders to cover my car registration and got to spend my Thanksgiving morning in the best way- connecting with friends and family during the chili pick-up. This got me thinking, “Can I actually support myself doing what I love- connecting with people over seasonal ingredients and foods that nourish?”
I was working as a pastry cook at the time (and still fairly new to it) and the following weekend had the opportunity to cater my first yoga retreat through OM WellBeing in collaboration with my friends at Sow Sow Pop-Up. I decided to take a different approach to baking than I was afforded at work and offered a menu that was entirely gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free. It was a challenge to say the least, but well worth the results! I got excellent feedback on everything I offered. This opened me up to the possibility that I could do work I enjoy without compromising on my values surrounding food.
Come December I had my first two pop-ups at Foodshed City Heights and Urban Timber for their holiday markets. In short, I’ve been jammin’ ever since (quite literally as I always incorporate seasonal jams in my baking)! Now you can find my seasonal gluten-free baked goods at local spots like Bica Coffeeshop in Normal Heights, Origins Grocer in North Park, and Michi Michi Bakery in Bankers Hill. You can also find my seasonal gluten-free granola at Inecui Flowers next to City Farmers Nursery and Milport in I.B. But I’d have to say, my favorite development with The Delicate Squash has been teaching seasonal chili cooking demos at San Diego City College in partnership with Seeds@City Urban Farm. Engaging with the community in this way has truly felt like a full-circle moment.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Surprisingly smooth when I least expected it, and a bumpy road when I thought I had everything under control.
I think one of the greatest challenges to starting and operating your own business is there are no roadmaps (or at least none that I am aware of). It requires an openness to experimentation and not getting it “right” the first time. As a recovering perfectionist, I find this very difficult.
I’m also learning that what may have been right for me at the start of all this, might not serve me in the long-term. I have to be willing to shift and change my approach to business as my own needs change.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I like to describe myself as a gluten-free baker and seasonal maker. I offer seasonal granola and baked goods that are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free. As someone who’s navigating life with chronic illness and has done a fair amount of experimentation with diet, I love offering foods that are gentler on the body and can support others on their own healing journeys.
One of the reasons I started The Delicate Squash was to offer products that I longed to see in favorite coffeeshops and markets but haven’t been able to find. Everything I offer is grounded in connection- to self, to community, and the land through foods that nourish.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think that with many things that are worthwhile, risk is often involved. Part of what makes something worth pursuing is stepping into unknown territory that challenges you to stretch beyond your comfort-zone. I have found it so much more satisfying to accomplish a goal when I didn’t know all the answers but chose to move forward regardless, leaning into my intuition to guide me. When I do this, I get to take up more space in this world and learn so much more about myself through the process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thedelicatesquash.square.site
- Instagram: @thedelicatesquash
