The Business of Biscuit Making: A Southern Kitchen
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Nashville?
The bars and live music on Broadway, I’m sure.
But, have you ever thought about the real southern experience you could have down in Music City?
Well, when [we] were in Nashville about a month ago on [our] mother/daughter road trip, we decided to plan a full southern experience for ourselves—which included a biscuit making class with A Southern Kitchen.
A Southern Kitchen is run by Nicole Bruno: a California-native-turned-Nashville-resident. Her passion for cooking came from her family.
“From a young age, I was surrounded by incredible cooks,” says Nicole. “Food was always the center of every family event. My mother is the ultimate host and passed that characteristic down to me; we both love to entertain, throw parties, cook, and go the extra mile to make every occasion perfect!”
But, Nicole’s intended path was not necessarily in food; she grew up writing, and even became published, before pursuing a degree in journalism. When she graduated college, though, writing jobs were a bit scarce, so she had to strategize.
Nicole started working at a wine bar in her hometown post-grad, and was also doing some freelance writing and event projects on the side. Once she had enough experience under her belt, she scored an event job with a tech company in Los Angeles, packed up and moved out two weeks later. She worked for the company for nine years, and was able to base herself out of LA, Chicago and, eventually, Nashville.
“In those nine years I was able to hone my corporate event skills, travel the world, and build a great life for myself,” says Nicole.
“Even with a busy career, I loved cooking and entertaining. Nothing made me happier than getting my friends and family together for a great meal around my table.”
As time went on, though, Nicole was itching to do more to truly feel fulfilled in her personal life; she was looking for a creative outlet or something to fill her time on the weekends.
“I had taken a few cooking classes and always thought it would be fun to teach one,” says Nicole. “It was around that time that Airbnb launched their ‘Experiences’ platform in Nashville, and it seemed like a great way to connect with people that may be interested in a local cooking class.”
She knew that she had to teach something “southern,” given her location, and came to the conclusion that biscuits were the perfect option.
Thus, the idea and inspiration to develop A Southern Kitchen was born.
Nicole threw herself into the concept right away, and never looked back.
“I jumped on the opportunity to host via Airbnb Experiences when they first launched in Nashville,” says Nicole on starting A Southern Kitchen.
“I made some biscuits, took pictures and submitted the idea. I figured it would take them a few weeks to review, but they ended up accepting the class within 48 hours and told me to start booking. I took about a month to perfect my recipes, gather supplies, work on the timing of the class and get my home setup. I was so nervous when I hosted my first class, but thankfully it went well. Good thing, because I had another class booked the next day, and a full calendar of reservations ahead!”
Now, with all of that in mind, we’re sure you’re wondering what goes on behind the scenes…
Preparing for the class takes some time, Nicole says, and calls for A LOT of ingredients.
But, before shopping, Nicole has to look ahead to how many classes are scheduled through Airbnb to make sure she has enough supplies, caters to dietary restrictions, and considers providing extras such as snacks and drinks.
“All those details help me ensure they have the best experience possible from the minute they walk through my door,” says Nicole.
Once Nicole finally sets out to get her supplies and ingredients, there’s no denying that it’s definitely quite the task.
“Think 60 cups of flour, 60 sticks of butter, gallons and gallons of buttermilk, and more,” says Nicole. “But, it’s nothing compared to the actual preparation of the ingredients.”
“I always start with prepping all the dry goods for the week ahead. I prep the perishable items the day before each class to ensure freshness.
Next I set up the stations, clean the common areas in my house, and pray that my husband and two dogs don’t make a mess of my kitchen! Last, I host the class for two hours, clean up and reset for the next day.
In addition to the class prep and teaching, I am always washing aprons and towels, creating social media content, answering questions from guests and doing all of the accounting. It’s a one-woman show, but with a lot of cheerleaders around me.”
It’s safe to say that Nicole definitely has gotten her hands full (with both work and biscuits) through this entire journey. But, she’s become a pro, and has hosted over 100 experiences, and teaches up to 8 classes a week.
Her plans for the future? To open her own studio in a commercial space in Nashville.
“My plan this year is to keep teaching as much as possible and assess in early 2022,” says Nicole. “I am so thankful to have kept busy all this year and hope I can continue with this momentum! I am working on more instructional videos, social media content and some new class concepts as well, so stay tuned!”
If you want to learn more about Nicole and A Southern Kitchen you can check out the class on Instagram @asouthernkitchen and book the experience via Airbnb Experiences here.
