Alumnae in the Culinary Scene

With the confidence that comes from an all-girl education, It’s no secret that CSG alumnae are natural entrepreneurs. Two recent graduates have found particularly sweet success with being their own bosses: Elizabeth Johnson ’19 started her own home bakery in 2021, while this past November, Nia Caldwell ’17 launched a breakfast-themed food truck. With some creativity and a lot of hard work, both women are making their mark on the local culinary scene.

Elizabeth Johnson ’19: Eliza’s Cookies

When the homemade brownies and cookies that Elizabeth Johnson ’19 brought in for her CSG classmates began disappearing before first period, Johnson knew she had something from which she could profit.

It wasn’t until the pandemic though, that Johnson began baking at home in earnest. Stuck at home in isolation, Johnson was baking out of boredom, but the process soon led to an adventure into entrepreneurship.

Johnson had dreams of becoming a chef or owning her own restaurant or food truck. But as time went by, she realized that she didn’t have to wait–she could start her own business now.

“I didn’t really want to work for anyone else,” she said.

At the time, Johnson was attending The Ohio State University, and the online classes made it easier for her to spend a great deal of time in the kitchen perfecting her recipes, experimenting with different textures, consistencies, and flavor profiles until she landed on a combination she liked. “Baking is a science, and I’ve definitely fallen in love with the science aspect of it,” Johnson said.

In May of 2021, Johnson officially launched her home bakery, Eliza’s Cookies. Her menu features brownies as well as cookies, including chocolate chip, s’mores, peanut butter, snickerdoodle, and peach cobbler, the latter two of which have proved to be seasonal hits. Orders can be placed online at elizascookiesandtreats.com.

Nia Caldwell ’17: Aggie’s Cafe

For Nia Caldwell ’17, opening a food truck was the perfect way for her to venture into entrepreneurship while satisfying her extroverted spirit.

“I’ve always liked communal atmospheres,” she said. As much as she enjoys people, Caldwell also enjoys food. In creating the menu for her breakfast-themed food truck, Aggie’s Cafe, she drew inspiration from her knowledge of food pairings to create items such as her Caprese Waffle, which features balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, herbs, and burrata cheese.

In addition to a traditional waffle, Caldwell’s menu is rounded out by strawberry and cream, triple chocolate, and apple pie varieties. She makes the waffles from scratch to order, serving them up with perfectly paired toppings. Each month, Caldwell rotates the selection of waffles, and also offers her visitors a variety of handcrafted treats in addition to coffee and tea.

Caldwell operates her food truck, which she named for her grandma, Agnes, from morning to mid-afternoon. Her schedule can be found via Instagram, Facebook, and the Street Food Finder app. In addition to the opportunity for socializing that working with her customers affords her, Caldwell also appreciates the creativity she can express in curating menus.

“I think that really appeals to me,” she said.

Caldwell also has been able to merge her new business enterprise with her love of photography, creating food photos for her social media accounts. With full control of her creative direction, she’s crafted a brand identity that emphasizes community. The family photos that decorate her truck are always a conversation starter.

Though she can envision owning a brick and mortar cafe or some sort of communal space down the line, for now, Caldwell is enjoying her food truck venture.

“I’m just excited to continue learning from the experience,” she said.

The CSG community will have a chance to visit Aggie’s Cafe during the Power & Promise Festival, to be held Saturday, April 29 from 2:00–7:00pm!