Meet Morgan Wilke | Culinary entrepreneur & Stay at home Mother

We had the good fortune of connecting with Morgan Wilke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Morgan, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was working a corporate real-estate job as a paper pusher and was unhappy due to the high demand and stress (during COVID-19, and the real estate market was hot-hot-hot!) The time I felt happiest during that period of life was cooking elaborate meals for my husband and friends. I have always felt comfortable while standing in front of the stove; the whole process of cooking is very meditative. My husband had recently gotten a big pay bump and we decided that I needed to make a professional change, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do at the time but I knew I wanted to do something in the culinary space, and I needed to be able to make my own schedule since we knew we wanted to start a family soon.

We were in the supermarket like we usually are on Saturdays, and I saw a huge bag of apples for 99 cents; I immediately thought about apple butter. I made a batch in the crock pot, the smell was overwhelmingly delicious. I canned it, in cute little jars and posted a picture on facebook. I got a comment from an acquaintance on the East coast who wanted to buy some to give as gifts to her clients. It was then I knew I needed to make fruit butter, jam, and jelly for my business.

Things have grown a lot since then, thanks to my husband’s support. He pushes me to be more than I ever thought I could be. With the help of our friends and family, we went from slinging jam at flea markets once or twice a month and selling to friends over Facebook to selling at some of the most renowned farmers’ markets and culinary events in Arizona. We will even be making our first appearance at the Devour Food Festival in February at the Desert Botanical Gardens. Recently I was also invited as a featured chef for the sold out USA Today Food & Wine Experience which was a great honor and led to being featured in an article by the Arizona Chronicle naming us as one of the top 8 things their staff tried at the event! (Link to event: https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/2024/11/04/phoenix-wine-and-food-experience-2024-best-bites/75914740007/)

Now, I work a hell of a lot more than I did back in that corporate job, and the stress at times can be higher. But the gratification I get from this work is far more satisfying than I ever imagined.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Like most small business owners, I believe the success you will have starts from the relationships you have, and build throughout your journey. It is vital that you have a good teammate to grow your dreams. Mine is my husband, he is my boots on the ground in terms of business goals and connections, I am the visionary behind the product. We both play to our strengths. What sets The Kitchen Witch apart is the attention to detail, creativity, and care put into the product and brand; our booth stands out from the crowd, and so do our flavors. We care so much about what we do and customers take notice of that, we are building a fun, positive, and inclusive brand with products that reflect that. It takes an endless amount of hours of loving care to craft our jams (from the recipes to the packaging), and I think you can taste it in the final result.

There are many challenges when trying to break into such a competitive space like the culinary world, there are so many trends and constantly evolving tastes to take into account. Food is so much more than something we eat, it is an embodiment of memory, culture, and tradition. It demands to be treated with respect and a great amount of tenderness. We take things one day and a time and do what we can with what we have. I belive that being humble and present is the best way to take on all challenges in life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am a nature lover so I recommend exploring the natural beauty all over AZ, anywhere you look, there is something special to behold you can’t find elsewhere. But once you come back from your hike or float down the salt river, I would recommend settling down with a cider flight from Cider Corps on their patio and enjoying a beautiful wood fired pie from Mykes Pizza ( a conjoined business to the brewery) located in the quaint but growing downtown mesa. Another Downtown Mesa restaurant is Que Chevere that features Venezuelan cuisine!

As I’m sure you can guess I recommend checking out local farmers markets or flea markets around the valley as well during the weekends. Even if you don’t plan on shopping, it’s a great way to try new things and make connections with some very kind people.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Of course I have to first shoutout my husband who is my partner in all things in life, my success is built off of his passionate drive to see my product shine. Next, I have to thank our friends and family who also believe in my product, from helping us sell at markets weekend after weekend to using our product to commemorate special events… I am endlessly greatful to have a great support system around me. And lastly, I would like to shoutout the Local First community. I learned so much from mentors like Leslie Kruk and Gabe Gardner, who believe in the dreams of entrepreneurs like me.

Website: https://thekitchenwitchaz.com

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