Chicago Chef Finds Success Collaborating with Others

My first Esquire article features Maya-Camille Broussard, whose beautiful, artisan pies are hot in demand by local restaurants and cafes.

It was really cool seeing my byline in Esquire last week, but more important, of course, was the subject. Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pies is one hard-working woman, and she hasn’t allowed the pandemic to break her business.

Broussard’s collaborations with local eateries like Eleven | Eleven, Frontier, Ina Mae Tavern and even Soho House have kept her company in the spotlight and her pies in people’s tummies. She sells some of her favorites, such as sweet basil key lime, chocolate bacon bourbon pecan, and caramel apple crumble, by the slice. At Soho House, a portion of the proceeds benefits her efforts towards helping poor people pay their legal fees.

It’s a model I am seeing more and more as chefs and restaurateurs look for effective, long-term ways to stay in business. Broussard doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar shop, and with farmers’ markets and festivals either canceled or reporting low attendance numbers, this tactic makes sense. She’s also working with restaurants in line with her brand: foodie-focused eateries attracting diners who appreciate premium ingredients.

Click here for the article in its entirety.

(Photo: Lindsay Widdel/Justice of the Pies)