By Jules Lavallee
Los Angeles, California (The Hollywood Times) 3/15/2021 – Chef Tierney is the founder of Mikey’s, a company that makes food products for various healthy lifestyles, ranging from gluten-free to keto. The convenient frozen and refrigerated line of products includes Mikey’s English Muffins, Pizza Crust, Tortillas, Breakfast Pockets, and Pizza Pockets. The newest in the line are Mikey’s Superfood Tortillas, available in Mikey’s Sweets & Beets Gluten and Grain-Free Tortillas, made with purple sweet potato and beets, Mikey’s Golden Turmeric Gluten and Grain-Free Tortillas, made with turmeric and hemp protein, and Mikey’s Super Greens Gluten and Grain-Free Tortillas, made with spinach, broccoli, and spirulina. Mikey’s products can be found in over 7,000 natural, club, and grocery stores across the U.S., as well as direct to consumers on the website www.eatmikeys.com.
You discovered your passion and talent for making great-tasting, better-for-you- food from a few simple ingredients. Take us back in your career. When did you first discover simple recipes?
My journey in the culinary world started at a very young age. I started working in the restaurant industry at the age of thirteen, far before I could even collect a paycheck. After high school, I went to The Culinary Institute of America and then worked in the three Michelin Starred kitchens of The French Laundry and Eleven Madison Park. One of the most important things I learned in the world of fine dining is that when you work with incredible ingredients, it’s best to keep things simple to showcase them at their best. I’ve harnessed all of my experiences in creating recipes for Mikey’s that focus on recognizable and simple ingredients.
You had an “epiphany” and noticed many companies claiming “gluten-free.” Tell us about this time and how it led you to launch Mikey’s.
When I first started looking for gluten-free baked goods, I realized that there was a billion-dollar category that was selling the idea of healthy without really doing right by that promise. Though the products available at the time were all gluten-free, they typically had higher levels of fats and carbs and used similar fillers and preservatives that you would find in your common loaf of commercially available “gluten-rich” sandwich bread. My mission was to create gluten-free baked goods that were multi-attribute and made from high-quality simple ingredients. I wanted to make products that were wholistically “better for you” and still taste great so they were approachable by everyone in the household.
You were recognized by Forbes as one of its 30-Under-30. What does it take to be successful in a health-conscious business?
At Mikey’s, we measure success by our ability to create raving fans of our products. We work every day to continue to create and source the best ingredients possible to create with. We continue to invest in innovation, and we are excited to announce a few new products this year that we are sure will bring Mikey’s to an even wider base of fans.
What is Mikey’s doing to celebrate Nutrition Month?
At Mikey’s every month is a celebration of nutrition. We will keep creating and sharing incredible recipes to promote healthy living from our test kitchen and continue to help our fans with lifestyle tips to optimize their nutrition.
Share some of your products that are flying off the shelves. Why do you think these are favorites?
Currently, all of our products are responding really well to consumers. That said, our Pepperoni Pizza Pockets and Cassava alternative grain tortillas are our fan favorites. Those familiar flavors really resonate with shoppers as they look to make healthier choices but want to find flavors that give them a sense of not having to compromise on taste for nutritional benefit.
You have expanded your products to Mikey’s Superfood Tortillas. Tell us more.
We are really excited about the launch of our new Superfood Tortillas. We launched three new delicious flavors of alternative grain tortillas that provide entirely new color and flavor pallet to the category as well as incorporate amazing functional ingredients such as turmeric and sprouted broccoli.
What makes Mikey’s great?
What makes Mikey’s great is our focus on providing great-tasting products that pack a nutritional punch using incredible ingredients. I think all too often we see products that may provide nutritional benefits but lack in flavor or are comprised of poor-quality ingredients. We strive to give consumers the opportunity to enjoy the flavors they love while enjoying products that are gluten-free and fit into their nutritional needs. It’s all about giving people the ability to not compromise. Our product line has a wide variety of products now including Mikey’s English Muffins, Mikey’s Pizza Pockets, Mikey’s Breakfast Pockets, Mikey’s Pizza Crust, and Mikey’s Cassava Flour Tortillas, and new Mikey’s Super Food Tortillas so there is something for everyone.
Website: www.eatmikeys.com
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Twitter: @eatmikeys
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqrVPfxuBbesOEWFeAVUdZw