Come for the cooking classes, stay for the parenting hacks - or at least that is what happened with us. We stumbled upon Caro Chambers' Instagram account a few years ago in the height of the pandemic. She was offering online cooking (and cocktail making) classes and after seeing the unique dishes offered and the approachable way in which they were done we were instantly hooked.
But what kept us engaged in the content was Caro's down to earth personality that is full of honesty and candor! As a mama to three boys under the age of five / wife / entrepreneur this talented lady has built a following for her culinary talent but also her candid conversations about parenting. This Cali-based mama has such a wonderful sense of humor on the daily and it is comforting as it is refreshing to watch and listen to. We were honored to have Caro give us a sneak peek into her and her family's life out west.
Q: Can you share a bit about what your family looks like as well as your work as an entrepreneur? How and when did your journey as a mother and business owner start?
A: I have three boys - almost 5, 3, and 1. We live in Carmel Valley, California and hopefully by the time this publishes we'll be back in the 1960s post-adobe style home that we've been renovating for almost a year. I am a professional recipe developer, cookbook author, and "influencer", so everyday looks really different. Some days I'm shooting sponsored content all day so my husband and / or the nanny have to get the kids out of the house. Some days I can rearrange things so that I can hang with the kids all day. Some weeks go by where I need tons of extra help because of strict deadlines and busy projects. My childcare is constantly in flux and always evolving, which can be a bit disorienting, but is just how it has to be right now so that I can constantly optimize for getting my work done in a way that I feel really proud of while also spending the most amount of time with my kids as possible without completely burning out.
Q: What is hardest for you to juggle or balance right now? Have you found any hacks that are helping?
A: My husband and I are really good about prioritizing time together and getting out for a date at least once a week, and we've absolutely sucked at it lately. With summer travel, then getting the kids back into a school routine, getting my final cookbook edits in, shooting the photos for it, yada yada, we've really put alone time together on the back burner. And it should be on the front burner! It's so important. We both had work events in San Francisco last week and we spent the entire car ride catching up like old friends. We were like woah, hey, it's been a while.
Q: Do you have any advice for an aspiring business owner who is stuck and doesn’t know where to start?
A: Absolutely - just do it. Even if it sucks, just throw something out there. Get started. Your website doesn't need to be perfect. Your mom and sister can be the only ones liking your Instagram posts. Who cares. Just put yourself out there and get it going.
Q: I feel that being a mother often pushes you to embrace something that may not have initially come easily. For us it’s embracing the play and the mess. What might it be for you?
A: Being organized! Before kids, I just kinda used to fly by the seat of my pants. Like, at all times. Now, I have to be so organized to get all of my work done within my limited working hours with three kids. And I can't drop balls with their school obligations, doctor's appointments, etc! Basically I had to start acting like an adult.
Q: There is inspiration in so many places especially as a creative type! Who and / or what inspires you?
A: Going to the grocery store and farmer's market! I walk around reeeeally slowly, check out all the veggies, write notes to myself with ideas.
Q: What are your favorite activities or places to enjoy with your little(s) nowadays?
A: The kids are total pool rats these days. We spend a lot of afternoons after school and weekends at the pool we go to in Carmel Valley. We also hang out at vineyards a lot -- such a great kid-adult compromise. They have tons of space to run around and explore, we have tons of wine to drink, everyone's happy.
Learn more about Caro by vising her website at https://www.carolinechambers.com/ and her Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/carochambers/?hl=en.