Rising Stars: Meet MacKenzie Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to MacKenzie Smith.

Hi MacKenzie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my blog while in grad school at Columbia University. I was burnt out while getting my masters and wanted something fun to do. The month I graduated with my edM and MA I was offered an internship at Saveur Magazine. To help with income, I also got a job as a cheesemonger at Depanneur in Brooklyn. After my internship i started freelancing for Saveur and I began my own catering and food styling business right next to the cheese shop at a place called ACME Brooklyn. At that time, my family had opened the Black Dolphin Inn in New Smyrna Beach and my uncle was the chef. My Uncle Bro got super sick and my family asked if I could come down to help cater a wedding at the hotel because he couldn’t. So I flew down, did the wedding and then went to the doctor with him. They said he had three months left to live and he ended up dying that week. It was completely devastating. I decided to stay in FL for a little bit to be with my family and to chef at the hotel while they found someone… and then I met professional surfer Jeremy Johnston and fell in love. It’s now been six years and I’m married to him and just had our first child a baby girl named Poppy! Since then, I’ve appeared on four Food Network shows, won two episodes of Guy’s Grocery Games, wrote a cookbook, appeared on countless morning shows, had a recipe break the internet and more!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been the easiest route but I am an eternal optimistic and I feel as if every struggle I’ve faced has prepared me for something else. When big opportunities present themselves, I always say yes even if I don’t know how I’ll make it happen. I also battled seasonal depression while I was living in NYC so being open about mental health and my struggles is part of my identity!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a food blogger, food stylist, travel writer, recipe creator, videographer, artist and more!

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
don’t be afraid to be yourself — you are the reason why you stand out. Don’t compare yourself to others because it’s toxic. Be consistent. Be optimistic. Stick with it even when times are hard!

Contact Info:

• Email: grilledcheesesocial@gmail.com
• Website: www.grilledcheesesocial.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grilledcheesesocial/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrilledCheeseSocial/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GCsocial
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/grilledcheesesocial
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/gcsocial

Image Credits
Christian Torres