I come from a large catholic family where food was super important. Growing up, we were always taught about waste management, which is a recurring theme that I teach everyone who comes in my shop. Waste management is a skill taught in all restaurants, or at least it should be. I create a very perishable product that is only available for 1 day max. We can’t serve it the next day. So what do you do with the waste that is left over? We bring it to people who need it.

Although doughnuts don’t hold any real caloric value, I still donate them to those who don’t have the luxury to be picky. Growing up, we were always told to finish everything on our plate. I mean, we were shown photos of kids we sponsored overseas who didn’t have the same resources as we did. And that’s something I’ve brought with me to the shop. We give whatever we have leftover. That’s what we do. It’s what we should all do.

And I think food is an amazing communicator in that way. As cheesy as it sounds, it brings people together. We give what we have left over which makes us part of the community. but if you make a big pot of risotto or paella, people are going to smell that and they are going to come. When you have a fight with your girlfriend, husband, whatever. You make a good meal, there’s no more fighting haha! I think that has been an important theme in my life, how food can bring people together.

Ashley Jacot De Boinod - Owner of GloryHole Doughnuts