From the smell of the kitchen to the smell of a shop.

I went to culinary school to become a chef. I loved the fast pace of the kitchens, the sounds, the smells of it. I was constantly creating things and loving it. But with the long hours and very rarely getting time off with my wife, I knew when we decided to start a family, one of us would want to stay home with the kids. As it turns out, that someone was me.

Once our youngest was in school full time, I knew I needed something to do during the days. So my lovely wife suggested that I should start a business I could run during the days while the kids were at school. In 2015, I did just that. I was always building things with my hands as a kid and took a few shop classes in middle school, so I started learning how to build furniture. Now I enjoy the slower pace in a woodworking shop but still getting to enjoy the smell and sounds, while I create new things for people to enjoy.

The name of my shop may seem a bit strange, but it harkens back to my days in the kitchen. Mise en place is a French term used in the culinary world. It literally means “to put in place”, and describes the part of the day when the kitchen staff are doing all of the prep work for the busy rush. In my woodworking, I love the idea of each piece being prepared and fitted for its intended use. I usually shorten it to “MeP Wood Works” for simplicity!