Today we’d like to introduce you to Leticia Saenz.
Hi Leticia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Love Olive Kitchen grew from my belief that food should do more than satisfy hunger—it should bring comfort, nourishment, and joy to everyday life.
As a chemist, I’ve always been curious about ingredients and how food interacts with the body. That curiosity became something personal: I wanted to make wholesome eating feel welcoming, flavorful, and practical for busy families. I wanted people to look forward to their meals while feeling cared for.
That vision became Love Olive Kitchen. My cooking centers on olive oil, thoughtfully chosen ingredients, many gluten-free options, and recipes made without refined sugar. My Mexican background also influences the flavors I love, including poblano peppers, chiles, and dishes that bring warmth to the table.
Along the way, working in catering and serving customers around Nashville has helped me understand that people are looking for more than convenience. They want someone who listens, pays attention to their needs, and puts care into the food they bring home or share at an event.
Building a small business has challenged me to learn much more than cooking—from pricing and packaging to communicating what makes Love Olive Kitchen special. I’m still growing, listening, and refining that vision. Each order and each customer’s feedback helps me move forward.
Today, Love Olive Kitchen is both a food business and a way to share what I believe in. Through prepared meals, catering, and a section I call “A Little Chemistry,” I connect food with simple, approachable education.
My goal is to help people make room for wholesome food while enjoying their lives. Whether I’m feeding a family after a long day or preparing food for a celebration, I want the experience to say: you are cared for, and you’re always welcome at Love Olive Kitchen.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. As a mother of a son with food allergies, I understand how much thought and care can go into something as everyday as preparing a meal. That experience has shaped the attention I bring to ingredients and the importance I place on listening to families’ needs.
One of the biggest challenges has been helping people understand the value behind Love Olive Kitchen. It takes time to communicate the care that goes into choosing ingredients, preparing meals, and creating food that is both wholesome and enjoyable.
Pricing has also been a learning process. As a small business owner, I have to balance ingredient costs, preparation time, packaging, and delivery while keeping meals accessible and building a sustainable business. I’m learning how to communicate that value with confidence.
Another challenge is visibility. Like many small business owners, I wear many hats—from preparing food and developing menus to answering messages and creating marketing content. Sometimes the hardest part is reaching new customers while giving existing customers the attention they deserve.
There have been moments of frustration and uncertainty, especially when growth has been slower than I hoped. When you put so much of yourself into something, it can feel personal. But hearing that a family enjoyed dinner or that someone appreciated the care behind a meal reminds me why I started.
I’m still learning, and I don’t have everything figured out. This journey is teaching me patience, adaptability, and the importance of listening to customers while staying true to the purpose of Love Olive Kitchen.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Love Olive Kitchen is a wellness-focused culinary brand built around the belief that healthy food should be both nourishing and enjoyable.
My goal is to help people create a more wholesome lifestyle through food, whether that is through catering, curated events, wellness experiences, or performance-focused menu development.What makes Love Olive Kitchen different is that it was born from both a scientific and personal perspective. As a Pharmaceutical Chemist, I developed a deep understanding of health and well-being, while my passion for cooking taught me how powerful food can be in bringing people together and creating meaningful experiences.
Rather than focusing solely on meals, I focus on creating experiences that encourage people to slow down, connect, and enjoy food that supports their overall wellness.
My menus are inspired by fresh, wholesome ingredients and are designed to be flavorful, balanced, and approachable.
The thing I am most proud of is building a brand that reflects my values. Love Olive Kitchen represents community, intentional living, hospitality, and the belief that healthy choices can also be beautiful and satisfying.As the brand continues to grow, I hope readers see Love Olive Kitchen as more than a catering company. It is a platform for wellness, connection, and education, with a vision that extends into performance nutrition, wellness tourism, and experiences that help people live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy? Honestly, the funny answer would be Sofia Vergara’s: “the money.” (laughs)
But if I’m being honest, what truly makes me happy is creating something meaningful that benefits everyone involved.Through Love Olive Kitchen, I have the opportunity to nourish people and their families with wholesome food while creating experiences that bring people together.
When clients trust me, enjoy what I create, and continue to support and recommend my work, something beautiful happens.It creates what I like to call a chain circle.
A circle built on trust, growth, and gratitude. People feel cared for and supported, they share that experience with others, and that allows me to continue growing, creating, and serving more people.Of course, financial stability and freedom are part of that happiness too.
Not because money is the goal itself, but because it allows that circle to keep moving. It allows everyone involved to continue growing and thriving.
At the end of the day, what makes me happiest is knowing that the work I do helps build meaningful connections and creates a positive cycle of trust, growth, and gratitude.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.loveolivekitchen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveolivekitchen?psln=NWJwdW5vcGd4cWl6&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1dHuwy7bje/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/p/gwPZ5-FE
- Other: https://flipboard.com/@SMARTFOODFORYOU?from=share&utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=curator_share
