[PODCAST] Neighbors of Casper: Maggie King – Ms. Marmalade, Mother of Three and Foodpreneur

K2Radio News unveils a second episode of "Our Neighbors of Casper," a podcast series featuring locals in the community with an emphasis on interconnectedness. We talk to Maggie King, a chef with the Wyoming Food For Thought Project who dishes on staying positive, raising teenage boys and helping new food businesses to flourish.

Ms. Marmalade

Maggie King started cooking as a toddler. She remembers slicing bananas and making cereal for her mom and dad and bringing it to their bed.

King started cooking professionally at the age of 19 in a hot, New Jersey kitchen alongside sweaty, Italian men. Proving her older brother wrong, King came out of that experience loving it even more.

Her specialty is seafood, inspired by the beach community she grew up in.

One thing led to another, and the Jersey girl ended up in Colorado working for a series of ski resorts.

There King learned how to make biscuits and gravy for 500 people. She was certified by the Carl’s Junior Association to handle their burgers. She prepared burritos, Einstein bagels, Peabody coffee...

“12-hour days, 15-hour days – I just didn’t care, I loved it!”

 

In King’s opinion, growing up in New Jersey is a little dark; it’s more crowded and grittier by nature. “I fit that category” she confesses, until moving to Denver and meeting a host of beautiful people who just wanted to hike and be in the sunshine; always smiling.

It was at this venture she decided to make a change. Whenever something negative came into her mind, King would think of the word ‘marmalade’ to shift her thoughts towards gratitude and optimism.

“After about two years I just became a much lighter, brighter human being.”

Why marmalade?

King says it’s a fun word and the color is so bright. (It’s also delicious).

Mother of Boys

Three teenage boys.

When King talks about her sons she lights up. Her oldest is in Minnesota working at Chipotle. They're paying his college tuition.

She says her 17-year-old son has zero interest in the kitchen, but he loves corndogs, she laughs.

Her youngest, a sophomore, is an athlete, and he is dedicated to healthy eating—he meal preps his own food with bison, brown rice, and lots of fruits and vegetables.

Clearly, she has rubbed off on them, at least a little bit. King is a teacher.

In 2011 she taught at Natrona County High School.

“When I got there it was a very loose curriculum that was geared more towards BMI and nutrition.”

Her second year she shook things up when she decided, “We will cook every day.”

That led to four separate culinary classes and even competitions.

“We had a state champion of baking while I was there, multiple teams in Skills USA and ProStart.”

Right now, she’s working with young people who—for one reason or another—don’t have skills to join the workforce right away; they go over sanitization, social skills, and how to utilize large-scale commercial cooking items.

Foodpreneur

Ramage explains that King has been instrumental in orchestrating business relationships. She is also an expert in making sure everything is done safely and efficiently.

Inspired by trips to Costa Rica, Ramage adds that he saw there was a need for fresh juices in Casper. After talking to King and his friend Michelle Fritz, they brought Juice Goose to the Grab N’ Go Gourmet, King’s then-business. “And it was really a good thing. But then Covid happened.”

King says the most popular item was her power bowls. When they closed, it was thee thing customers kept asking about. How do I get one?

Since then, the Lovely Lemon – formerly known as ACS juices – has taken over making fresh juices in the Good Food Hub and is offering King’s power bowls once again.

After closing her business, King has learned a lot about what it takes to open one. Now she’s helping new business owners.

Currently, Wyoming Food for Thought chooses new food businesses to use their commercial kitchen and sell their products from the building at a very low cost. They help business owners by going to the health department and the City of Casper along with coaching them.

It’s a safe space for business owners to dip their toe into the water to see if they’d like to do something a little bit bigger.

“I do feed off of their excitement” smiles King.

“It’s nice to see business owners get more confident in their product; say no, and not feel bad; say yes, and not feel overwhelmed…”

On opening shop here, King says, “it is difficult. There is a lot of red tape here in Casper that I haven’t run into in other states. I had a business in New Jersey as well and it was an easier process.

“In Casper, the biggest hurdle is getting through your health department and something they call the ‘grey slip.’ Which is something you do with the City to make sure you have everything in place, and while it’s different than what they do in other states, it’s more comprehensive, so when you do get through it there’s nothing left. You’re off and running, and the second side to it is that even though it’s difficult, they are helpful. Our health department will come as many times as they need you to. They will answer as many questions as you have. They will take their time with you. It’s harder and easier.”

"It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood. A beautiful day for a neighbor." ~ Mister Rogers

 

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