Meet Miranda of Uprooted Foodie | Vegan Consultant & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Miranda of Uprooted Foodie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Miranda of Uprooted Foodie, why did you pursue a creative career?
The freelance world may not always seem artistic, but in my realm, it definitely is! Some folks might argue that a consultant is a more advisory-focused career as opposed to creative, but I would disagree. I think my specific niche for vegan hospitality consulting is extremely creative, in terms of creating fantastic dishes in collaboration with a restaurant and giving the customer an enjoyable and memorable experience. Plus, you have marketing and event coordination thrown in there sometimes, which definitely requires a creative flair. As for my video editing skills, creativity is a huge part of that. I relate a lot of my passion for editing to my former theatrical endeavors. I worked as a stage manager, performer, and musician for five+ years; plenty of occasions called for me to have a birds eye view or a director’s eye, and that’s what it takes for me to be a successful video editor. But as to why… I think I really just couldn’t do anything else. I’m capable, of course, but I would quickly get depressed or feel restrained doing mundane tasks at corporations that I wasn’t invested in. I had to have my own schedule, with my own visions, to an extent. I need to keep a healthy work-life balance that makes me happy, and allows me to travel as much as I desire. And when I’m happy and traveling, that helps the content come easier – so it’s a win-win.

What should our readers know about your business?
Uprooted Foodie, simply put, is my public journey documenting the plates & places that I would recommend to others. Moreso, it’s food and travel consulting through content creation, sometimes on own platform and sometimes through other businesses. It started out as a blog and has bloomed into a small business. The social media side of things focuses on my personal experiences with veganism and travel. As for the services I can provide, those vary from video editing for brands/restaurants, to writing articles on veg-focused platforms, to vegan hospitality consulting for restaurants & tourism. I think the whole package sets me apart from others a bit because not only can I come in to advise a restaurant (or brand) on their menu/products, but I can also promote them on social platforms or potentially publish a marketing video and/or publish an article to promote them. What most excites me about any of the work that I do is networking within a community – whether that’s a restaurant and their staff, helping to organize a vegan event or tasting, or connecting with others about vegan food and traveling. 

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, we would definitely hit up every vegan-friendly spot the city has to offer, including the pop-up vendors! River North Arts District (or RINO, as we call it) is a neighborhood must-visit. We’d have to swing by one of the many breweries for a tasty Colorado beer. I’d take them by Nooch Vegan Market for some goodies and soft serve. I’m also a sucker for The Alamo Drafthouse, the Botanical Gardens, and any of the museums – particularly the Museum of Nature and Science. Possibly the “1 Up” Arcade Bar, if we’re feeling nostalgic, or Nocturne for a legitimate jazz club experience. Lastly, Cherry Creek State Park for some outdoor recreation, like kayaking or hiking! And all of that is just in Denver… there’s so much more I’d love to share with them in the nearby mountain towns.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Denver food & bev community, in general, has been the biggest support network of any projects or collaborations I’ve pursued. A few specific businesses that really welcomed me from the beginning were: VegFest Colorado; Choice Market; Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizza; Pescky Kitchen; Peaceful Rebel; Let Thy Food; Hella Herbivore; Alternation Brewing; WongWay Veg; Fire On The Mountain; Hemp Way Foods; Blackheart Creations; Vino & Veggies and others. I also can’t leave out the mentorship I’ve received from the Vegan Hospitality Queen, herself: Meredith Marin (@meredithmarin) and all of my colleagues in hospitality consulting around the world!

Website: https://www.uprootedfoodie.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uprootedfoodie/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miranda-lipes333/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uprootedfoodie/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8p7byUTyJqz65lmHqYHtXA?view_as=subscriber
Other: Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vegan-chub-club/id1448105650

Image Credits
Amy Beth Bolden (@pictureitplants); Miranda Lipes (@uprootedfoodie)