026: Nourishing the Body and Soul Through Mindful Cooking with Aishwarya Iyer

Essential Ingredients Podcast

“The things that you run away from, you end up going back to as you get older.” —Aishwarya Iyer

Because of our busy schedules, it's all too easy to rush through meal preparation on autopilot. But cooking with presence and awareness has profound benefits for both body and soul. With each conscious action in the kitchen, whether stirring a pot of soup or mixing a salad, we nourish our mind and spirit, as well as our physical needs. The mindfulness we cultivate over the stove can spread throughout our day, improving mood and relationships toward more conscious living.

Aishwarya Iyer’s passion for conscious cooking inspired her to create Brightland, where she strives to elevate people's connection to their food through products that encourage mindfulness. By sharing the stories of the farmers and flavors behind each product, she aims to help customers more present and aware during mealtimes, allowing them to reap the mental and physical benefits of living in the moment while nourishing themselves and their loved ones.

In this episode, Justine and Aishwarya talked about overcoming self-doubt, the importance of surrounding oneself with knowledgeable people, Brightland's organic and regenerative products, Ash’s strategic approach to growing the company, and the value of mindful cooking and making thoughtful choices to nourish both body and soul.

Meet Aishwarya:

Aishwarya Iyer is the founder and CEO of Brightland, an olive oil, vinegar, and honey company based in California. She launched Brightland in 2017 after becoming passionate about food and cooking oils. Under her leadership, Brightland has grown to produce a variety of high-quality, organic, and regenerative olive oils, vinegar, and honey. Brightland partners directly with small farms to source ingredients and tell the story of sustainable agriculture.

Prior to founding Brightland, Aishwarya worked in the beauty industry and tech startups. She credits her experiences in consumer products and the startup world with giving her the skills to successfully launch and scale her own company. Aishwarya is committed to building Brightland through a strategic and calm approach while delighting customers.

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Episode Highlights:

00:55 Walking the Path of Entrepreneur

05:19 Overcoming Barriers to Success

10:30 Mindful Cooking

15:06 Partnering with Local Farmers

18:57 The Value of Advisors

23:51 Emphasis on Quality and Uniqueness

31:02 AVoiding Rancidity