Laura Yee, a veteran food journalist and editor, recently launched her own baking business, Chinese Mom Kitchen, after receiving an invitation from Urban Belly to a barbecue event. Her miso chocolate chip cookies were so well-received that she decided to do pop-ups at Urban Belly’s Wicker Park location.
Yee found the experience of running nine consecutive Sunday pop-ups to be physically challenging but exhilarating. Despite her background in the food industry, she realized that owning a business is much harder than she anticipated. With the help of friends, Yee offered samples of her cookies and crackers to passersby, strategically coinciding with the Wicker Park farmers’ market to attract customers.
One of Yee’s best-selling items is the miso chocolate chip cookies, which she initially called “umami chocolate chip cookies.” After customers had trouble understanding the term “umami,” she changed the name, leading to increased popularity. Yee also offers other treats like sourdough chili crisp crackers and scallion pancake-inspired sourdough crackers.
Yee’s love for baking stems from her childhood, where she enjoyed baking with an Easy Bake Oven for her hardworking single mother. She recalls making peach and cream cake for her mom using simple ingredients like yellow cake mix and canned peaches. The joy of baking and sharing treats with loved ones has always been a rewarding experience for Yee.
Currently, Yee operates her business from her home kitchen but plans to expand into a commercial kitchen space. She aims to participate in a Chicago farmers’ market next year and offers online orders for local delivery and nationwide shipping. Yee emphasizes the importance of freshness in her products and offers a variety of treats for shipping and local delivery.
Follow @thechinesemomkitchen on Instagram to stay updated on upcoming pop-up events at Urban Belly during the holiday season. The Chinese Mom Kitchen Holiday pop-ups are scheduled for Tue 11/26 and Wed 11/27, with local delivery and pickup available on Sundays at Urban Belly. Visit thechinesemomkitchen.com for more information.
