A culinary creative with a passion for building community through food.
I'm a lifelong entrepreneur, feeder-of-others, and maker. At my core, my passion is creating - whether it's an experience, a brand, a recipe, a dish, or a meaningful connection.
Farmers’ Market Mama
While I’ve always loved markets, our local farmers’ markets were a lifeline during COVID. I would load my 2-year-old daughter into her wagon and we walk to the market twice a week (thank you, mild NorCal weather). These days provided opportunities to safely interact with people, choose our own produce (during a time when we were avoiding grocery stores), feel connected to our community during a period of significant isolation, and share my love of markets with my daughter. The name “Farmers’ Market Mama” was born during that time.
My Background
Growing up, food was always at the center of every gathering. It was a way to show love, share comfort, build friendships, and ease grief. Food remains one of the most important facets of my life, and I love sharing it with others.
I left a job in corporate inventory management in 2012 to move to Tokyo with my husband. I was fortunate to be able to change my focus to something I've always been passionate about: food. I co-created a food, DIY and travel blog, co-wrote a cookbook, taught cooking classes, and did small-scale catering. I also hosted meals in our home through a company called Kitchhike, which seeks to share world cultures via homemade food in Japan.
After a move back to the US and having a child, I co-founded a company called Alameda Homemade. It was a DTC specialty food business making and delivering wholesome frozen food to customers in the SF East Bay. We used primarily organic ingredients and made the same recipes that we serve our families. We set up at farmers’ markets, holiday markets, and executed a Venezuelan-style arepa pop-up. Alameda Homemade closed in 2022, after feeding many families during COVID and providing nourishment to people in their homes for over three years.
I have since taken on many roles in the food industry, such as Culinary Director for a local coffee shop chain, instructor, recipe and menu developer, and small event caterer. I currently spend most of my time as a personal chef in Alameda, CA. I am ServSafe certified.
I'm always looking for interesting opportunities to flex my creative muscles and work with exciting, dynamic people!
Please use the contact form below to figure out how we can work together.
-Alyssa Wiegand
Contact me.
farmersmarketmama@gmail.com