1. Can you introduce yourself and how Cook Camp came about?
I'm Ellen Bennett, founder of Hedley & Bennett and creator of Cook Camp. For years I've met these incredible chefs and watched them show up for EVERYONE - fires, crises, charities, you name it. And I kept thinking, who's throwing a day for them? A day where they get to be together with people who get it, and somebody else fills their cup for once?
My first thought was, let's get everyone together to cook! And then I was like, wait, they cook all the time. They don't need more cooking! So we made a day for arts and crafts, sports, wellness, and meeting the people you've admired from afar but never actually gotten to talk to. A whole day to stretch different muscles and just be together. That was the seed of Cook Camp.
2. Looking back at your career, from working in professional kitchens to building Hedley & Bennett, what has this taught you about people and community?
I was a line cook at Providence and Baco, working both kitchen jobs at the same time, making amazing food in absolutely terrible gear. And I thought, we can fix this! But I wasn't starting with the apron. I was starting with the HUMAN wearing it. Does this person feel dignity and pride when they put it on? Does it fit their body and their work?
We listened, and we listened HARD for a really long time. The chefs we met along the way helped us figure out what to make, how it should fit, how it should be shaped, and eventually what we'd make beyond aprons - cutting boards, knives, all these other things. Thinking like a human instead of thinking like a company gave us a great head start. That web of people built this with us.
3. Why is it important for chefs and food professionals to have time to play, learn and reconnect?
Look, I'm a workaholic myself. I know you can do the same thing every day and get really good at it, but you also need a moment to step back. Sometimes I need to put my feet outside on the ground, stare at the sky, and hug a tree. Call it simplistic! Then I come home and play with my kids, swim, garden, run around - use my hands in a totally different way. It wakes up your senses. Suddenly you can see the same problem from another angle.
That's what I wanted for Cook Camp. Not a work event disguised as a break, and not just lying on a beach. Active lounging! You're talking to someone who inspires you while you're both getting a massage, then you're off playing capture the flag, scaling a rock-climbing wall, dip-dyeing tie-dye aprons. When did we all forget we could have that much fun? Just because we're adults doesn't mean we can't play. And when I'm around people who get it, I feel like I can do more because I'm not doing it alone. I wanted that for chefs who are at it every single day. Make it a little easier, a little more fun, a little more communal - what a gift.
4. How has your relationship with cooking and hospitality evolved over the years?
When I first started, it was all highbrow fine dining. Now I have two little boys who want simple, delicious food, and they are TOUGH critics. Different vibe, not gonna lie! I love everything those fine-dining kitchens taught me. But I also just want to cook like a grandma. A bowl of black beans, a fresh tortilla, queso fresco fresh from a ranch in Mexico? Delicious. Clam linguine, Dover sole, a squeeze of lemon - I'm here for it all day long. Food doesn't have to be complicated to be SO good.
The older I get, the less fancy I get, and the warmer I want it to feel. I want people walking into my house and leaving saying, that was so fun, I ate so well, I was so comfy, I felt like I belonged. A giant hug! That's the magic of hospitality to me: being a few steps ahead of people and making them feel important. You belong here.
5. How much is cooking a labour of love for you?
Hell yes, it's a labor of love! It's me saying, I care about you, I'm going to make you something, you're going to eat it, I'm going to watch you smile, and that's going to fill MY cup. Cooking's not for everyone, but it's definitely for me. It's how I spend my weekends with my family and friends, and the best excuse to get everybody together. It's just the best.
6. What do you hope people take away from Cook Camp, personally and professionally?
At a sample sale in LA, a chef who came to Cook Camp walked up, grabbed me by the shoulders, and thanked me deeply for making it happen. They told me nobody had ever done anything like it for them before. They even brought up the gifting suite - Lola Blankets, Flamingo Estate, stuff people actually wanted! And I thought, my god. That's it. I wanted chefs to feel SEEN. Valued. Appreciated. High-fived with a hug! This was our gift to an industry that spends its days taking care of everybody else: we want to take care of YOU. And then I hope they take that little magic and put it out into the world.
And you know what else? People came for a day off, but they met amazing people they might never have been in a room with. Friendships can turn into relationships and opportunities without beginning as a transaction. That's the kind of business I believe in: you like somebody, you want to work with them, you help each other. Show up when you have the chance to be around people who inspire you. It helps you, it helps them, everybody wins.
7. What excites you about the future of food and hospitality?
I'm sitting here talking into my phone, in a world that's getting more digital by the minute. And that makes food and hospitality MORE important. No phone, computer, or app can replace eating food and feeling loved by another human being. Ever! That act is timeless. Food is the ultimate unifier, and it's magical and needed. This is our time to shine and own it - we can't let it fall by the wayside.
8. What do you love about Falcon Enamelware, and why was it the right fit for Cook Camp?
I love a company that's been around long enough to have depth and perspective. You don't last and evolve without making a really good product, and Falcon is tried and true. We've been using Falcon plates in our house since before we even had kids! I love the color, the sparkle, the way it shows up in the world, and that timeless feeling. Falcon is iconic and full of heritage. Falcon felt like such a natural fit for Cook Camp.
