Who We Are
You might be wondering about the “Mr. K” name. No, it’s not a take on Mrs. Fields. I used to teach elementary school about 10 years ago and instead of having the kiddos memorize my name – Yusuf- I just had them call me Mr. Kurt or Mr. K! But before all that, I worked in high-end kitchens and catering outfits after graduating Le Cordon Bleu, London in 2000. Working in places like these was intense, and I learned a lot, but it was torture because when you work for someone else, you’re under their thumb and there’s no room for innovation or creativity. And, honestly, there are A LOT of “chefs’ out there who couldn’t make a decent cookie or quiche if their life depended on it. So, in 2017 I decided to start making cookies and selling them at farmers markets in Orange County, CA. But they weren’t getting any traction. In 2020 I relocated to Phoenix and re-designed EVERYTHING- recipes, packaging, branding, messaging, products…the whole nine yards. Then the pandemic hit, and I had plenty of time to come up with wild and crazy flavors like Coconut Pineapple Guava and Pomegranate Jelly. I re-launched in May 2021 and started selling each Saturday at the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market. The sales grew and grew to the point that I needed help, and Van Nguyen came on board six months later. Now we’re making everything in a great commercial kitchen in Mesa, AZ and we’re planning on turning the cookie world on its head!
