Internship experience fuels creative sparks

The friendship between Catherine Wang and Madeleine Cheyette blossomed when they interned together at a startup company through the Princeton Startup Immersion Program (PSIP). Their shared curiosity, desire to connect with energizing people, and love of food bonded the future roommates during their summer working in New York City.

Fast forward two years, and these young alum are now the best of friends. When they landed jobs on opposite coasts, the self-described foodies stayed connected by sharing recipes, restaurant recommendations, and even managing to continue cooking together via Zoom. The dynamic duo even managed to launch their own podcast this past spring.

Fueled by an inquisitiveness to see behind the curtain in their favorite restaurants, the pair set out to create a podcast that would reveal the entrepreneurial process and backstories of independent food business owners while also dabbling in food science and culture. They reached out to a diverse list of entrepreneurs from their college haunts in Princeton, their go-to spots in New York, their hometowns, and current locales and came up with a dynamic list of would-be interviewees. “We got way more yeses than noes,” said Cheyette, “so we figured that was a pretty good indicator that we would have engagement and an audience,” and so Dished was born.

Both women credit the experience they had in PSIP for giving them the push they needed to take the leap into podcasting. “We learned so much at Gloss Genius,” said Wang, who was awed by the drive, high energy, and generosity of her boss and mentor, founder Danielle Cohen-Shohet ‘12.  “Danielle stressed the importance of committing to projects outside of work, of having side hustles that bring personal satisfaction.”

When COVID hit, Wang, like many of those working from home, had a hard time keeping a healthy work-life balance. “There was nothing but work vying for my attention, so when Madeleine and I started toying with the idea of creating a podcast, I thought this was exactly what Danielle was talking about and what I needed to help create a positive work-life balance.”

Focusing on the stories of small independent business owners is something they are both passionate about, and it seems so are their 600+ listeners. “Although this podcast is very personal to us, kind of a food map of our lives and friendship,” said Cheyette. “The stories of innovation, business creation, and behind the scenes successes and failures are of interest and value to anyone entrepreneurially-minded.”

Episodes include a peek into the inner workings of local hotspots like the Bent Spoon and Jammin’ Crepes, innovative bakeries in DC and San Francisco, and a New York-based chef who uses design thinking methodologies to curate the menus in his Chinese restaurant. Their upcoming installment will feature a very quirky and famous donut chain based in Portland, Oregon... think pink boxes and pins.

If there are any students out there looking for part-time work, Dished is hiring a Marketing Manager. Reach out to Madeleine Cheyette or Catherine Wang if interested.