Eats by Emily: Get to know the superwoman behind the super food! 🤩

If you haven’t heard about Emily Grimaud and her awesome business in Malta yet, you’re in for a treat. Emily has this great little food platform, Eats by Emily, where she offers a bunch of different stuff, like menus for special occasions, subscription menus, and corporate breakfasts. Best of all, she creates awesome food content which we are all lucky to enjoy! 😏

The Ice-Cream Sandwich of your dreams! | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgwWPAtoU4n/

We had a little chat with Emily to get some behind-the-scenes action and get to know her a bit better… Have a look at what she had to say! 👇

Let’s start with the basics; tell us a bit about Emily!

To put it romantically, I am a different person to different people! 👩

I am a mum to my boy Oliver and I run a small online food platform-turned-business. I am also an accountant (almost!) and I enjoy working in Finance as a freelancer. 📝

My favourite book is Behind Closed Doors and my favourite animal is the panda. I love to play the game Cheat because I find myself in serious fits of laughter. I am working on being kinder to myself because I deserve kindness. 🥰

The queen behind Eats by Emily... Emily Grimaud! | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/CfEulSkoSKB

At any point, you will find me doing one of these: cooking, recording food videos, creating menus, spreadsheet-ing and most recently, kayaking with Oliver. 🛶

You’re very passionate about food. Where did your love for food come from?

I honestly am not sure about this. Growing up, cooking was not really a huge focus in our lives, and maybe, funnily enough, it was the thing that led me to want to experiment on my own and find my path with food, cooking, and my own definition of comfort! 😌

Have you always worked in catering or a food-related industry?

I went to the Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS) and worked in restaurants in Malta, London and the Canary Islands. After I had my son, I wanted to do something different so I started a granola bar business called Oh So Yummy. I also started studying Finance in between and ended up working in Finance for a number of years. 📈

A gorgeous looking strawberry pie made by Emily. | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/CdH-lUcoOU6/

More recently, 7 months ago to be precise, I decided I missed cooking as a job, but not the restaurant lifestyle, and I went for it on my own. Fast forward 7 months, I now run a small online meal preparation service, specialising in very tailor-made diets for a small clientele. I've had such an interesting journey so far, and I’m excited to see where this takes me! 🤩

Let’s talk favourites! What’s your favourite recipe from the ones you’ve created?

I am Mediterranean and I will ALWAYS go back to the basics. Something along the lines of fresh Maltese tomatoes, maybe some sundried tomatoes and pasta. Always pasta! 🍝

The only noods you need, tbh. | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/CS9bANiD6Hz

And what about a recipe made by someone else?

Without a shadow of a doubt, this will always be the Boeuf Bourguignon by Julia Child. It embodies everything that a warm hug is. It’s rich in love, it makes you feel warmth in your heart and it has a whole lot of flavour. 🙌

Do you have an idol (or idols) in the food world?

There are so many people who I look up to, ranging from Marco Pierre White to Erin Jean McDowell, to Julia Child (ovvja) and Samin Nosrat. Honestly, the list doesn't really end, and with Instagram, nowadays I am discovering new people all the time! It's amazing! 💪

Look at that Wellington! | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZPsPyZuWQT

If there’s someone out there who wants to start their own food business, what would your advice to them be?

If you love cooking and experimenting, cook at home. If you can't be anywhere without thinking of how you would prepare it, serve it, cost it, price it… Work in a kitchen! 👩‍🍳

Running a food business does not only cover cooking; it entails a very wide range of skills like organisation, numerical literacy, timing capabilities, leadership and creating and setting procedures and standards. Cooking at home for a family of 4 and loving it means you're a great home cook, but it does not mean you will love doing it for a living. 🤷

I would be smiling too if I had that Chicken Makhrani. | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbx3HCaM3bW

I think my advice would be: if you don’t already have restaurant or kitchen experience, apply for an internship somewhere to get a feel of what it would be like. It is busy and strenuous, but just like in anything else in life, if you've got a passion for it, you'll find a way to make it work! 👌

Tell us your guilty (or not so guilty 🤷) food pleasure.

I never EVER feel guilty about enjoying food! It is a promise I consistently make to myself. We have been taught to feel guilt about something as delicious as food and it stops with me! 😊

However, when it's 1 am and I am still awake, I tend to CRAVE a cheese sandwich. I'm not talking about two slices of bread with a slice of cheddar. No, I'm talking about grilled bread in some butter and a couple of different cheeses. Think a sharp cheddar, maybe some Parm, a little bit of gruyere, grated and melted into one delicious grilled cheese sandwich. 🤤

I wouldn't mind having that for breakfast everyday. | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/CV7yY9GoNf9

Of course, it would need to be complete with a side of potato crisps, and they have to be salt and vinegar! I mean, it's very extra of me but I never feel guilty about it! 😋

Your ULTIMATE favourite meal. What would that be?

Mmm, this is a difficult one. I think if I had to choose my ultimate meal, it would be lasagne in winter, and Maltese bread, EVOO, tomatoes, basil, and the works during the summertime. 😎

I'm drooling just by looking at that lasagna. | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMeaf9eniei/

And finally, what are your plans for Eats by Emily in the future?

Well, I am currently looking for a small kitchen space to be able to expand my meal preparation service a bit more. I am working on a website where people can find my subscription menus online. I am also working on expanding my corporate breakfast and lunch options for companies. 🥪

I believe that everything I hope for will become a reality and I am finally giving myself the space to achieve that! One step at a time and, most importantly (something that I have not done in the past), I am REALLY enjoying the journey! 😍

This salmon recipe is the bomb. | From: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbR3AYzOwOd/

I think we really have a lot to learn from Emily, not just food-wise. If you want to know more about Emily, her food journey and her incredible food business, give her Instagram a follow here. We cannot wait to see what’s in store for Eats by Emily! 👏