Hoboken Spotlight: Bianca Sehgal

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS! HOW DID IT START? BIGGEST CHALLENGE? FAVORITE PART? WHERE DO YOU SEE IT GOING?

My charcuterie & cheese board business, @busy.b.charcuterie, started with my family. I have eleven first cousins and for every family party I would create a new, giant board to feed everyone. After becoming an expert at curating boards and providing for lots of people, I decided to go on my first business venture catering boards for all of NJ, and parts of NY and PA.

My biggest challenge would have to be balancing my orders and supply. At first, I would over anticipate how much product I needed for each order and end up wasting great materials. Now I am able to estimate appropriately and manage the time I spend on each board better.

My favorite part is making each board and adding a personal touch for every customer. I love adding little extras for birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers, and weddings to make my customers smile a little extra.

My goal is to be able to partner with local businesses and shops to help make their spaces and events over the top with custom charcuterie boards and grazing tables. I hope to expand to a larger catering and meal preparation business and merge @busy.b.charcuterie with my food page, @busy.b.eats. 

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SOURCE OF INSPIRATION?

My Mom is definitely my greatest inspiration. I have a huge family and our door is always open. My mom never hesitates to whip up amazing food when we have visitors, announced or not. I am Indian American so family is a very important part of my life. My Mother always taught me to feed anyone that comes by if you have the means and that blessings would follow.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN?

For everyday fun, I love walking around Hoboken and Jersey City trying new activities or places to eat. For my birthday in October, we have been doing our own taco or dumplings crawls in Hoboken, Jersey City, and NYC. When I can, I love to travel all over the country and globe. In the winter, Lake Placid and Stowe are my favorite places to visit and snowboard. It feels like magic when I'm there. I am a teacher by day, so during my summers I enjoy tutoring, reading, and spending all my time down the shore

FAVORITE LOCAL SPOTS: 

- Restaurant - Pico Taco! We love going on Tuesdays when their tacos are half off. 

- Coffee Shop - Black Rail

- Place to Shop - Kanibal & Co

- Bar - Ainsworth for a cocktail, The Madison to dance, South House for late nights 

- Outdoor Spot - Pilsner Haus & Biergarten for a bar, and Maxwell Place Park to walk/run though or hangout. I recently got engaged there so it will always have a special place in my heart. 

- Honorable Mentions -