“All the Sass Without The Fuss” Meet Elsy Dinvil From Creole Me Up

Healthy nutrition can help you in many ways, no matter how old you are. Creole Me Up has developed incredible plant-based products for the people of Portland, Oregon and beyond. We sat down with its owner, Elsy Dinvil, to discuss how she started Creole Me Up and her entrepreneurial journey. 

How would you describe your cooking style?

My cooking style is, as we say it at Creole Me Up, all the sass without the fuss, meaning we cook 100% from scratch with fresh herbs in condiments. We cook Haitian food and educate our customers on how to cook it with the sauces and condiments that we sell in stores around Portland and at farmers’ markets around town.

How did you come up with the name for your business?

Haha… The name “Creole Me Up” was an exciting process. Initially, when we started doing Haitian food pop-ups around Portland, we were promoting them under the name Creole Cravings, then we got to a point when we wanted to separate the revenues of our products’ sales from the pop-ups. We came up with the name Creole Me Up after brainstorming with a friend back-and-forth over about two to three months, and when the name Creole Me Up came up on our list, we both were like, “that’s it.” Creole Me Up is a fun and catchy name, but at the same time, we find ourselves under a lot of pressure to deliver what the name meant to Creole people “up” and not “down.”

Tell us about your inspiration to create allergen-free plant-based products.

Developing allergen-free plant-based products happened against my will when I started being sick with digestive issues, struggling with constant migraines, and curving my allergies with foods I loved all my life. That season in my life was very traumatic, with incessant trips to the emergency rooms around Portland and the creation of the Creole Me Food products holds close personal ties to my struggles with food. I remember how difficult it was for me to attend parties and eat at restaurants due to my food sensitivities, and I don’t want my customers to worry about food allergy when they consume the Creole Me Up products; therefore, we create each of them with our customers’ guts in mind. Unless a customer is allergic to our core ingredients like onions, shallots, and parsley, our products are free of all major allergens like gluten, eggs, corn, soy, and processed sugars.

How would you describe your creole marinade?

We currently have five Creole marinades and our food product line, and we are working on a few others that we hope to share with our customers this August. They are all made with fresh herbs and ingredients, and we have one Haitian épis among them. They are delicious, and each of them provides the customer buying them with a unique experience. That’s why it’s not surprising that customers would buy all five marinades in one purchase since they find themselves thorn in their unique flavors. 

What message would you give to your 18-year-old self?

The advice I would give to my 18-year-old self is, “go for anything you wish to explore because the sky is truly the limit.” I would also tell my 18-year-old self that “it is okay to make mistakes and it is also okay to fall and start over.” Finally, I would continue to tell my 18-year-old self that “life is fragile and to always be hopeful and remain humble no matter the heights where life takes you.”

What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business?

The most significant thing I’ve done to grow my business is to “start my business with zero money” and stick to it for five years despite the challenges and difficulties. Of course, I have shed a few tears, but I’ve smiled much more at farmers’ markets, seeing people coming back for more of my products and bringing their friends to introduce them to the Creole Me Up products.

Tell us about a mentor, a coach, or an accountability partner who has inspired you to push through your entrepreneurial journey.

The mentor and coach who have inspired me is Jaime Soltero, the restaurant chain owner in Portland, Tamale Boy. Jaime and I met at a parking lot of a store I was working at as a cashier slashed janitor. I remember that mid-morning conversation very well in November around Thanksgiving. He was hired to serve the Holiday lunch to employees, and when my eyes landed on his air-conditioned Mercedes Benz sprinter van, my heart lit. I threw the garbage away and walked straight to him and said regarding his truck, “this is exactly my dream,” and he responded right away, “oh, really? I can teach you everything you need to know if you are serious.” He kept his word and mentored me about the food industry, how to cut costs, run a successful pop-up, and mostly how to develop a feasible plan that would work for my business. To top it all off, Jaime opened his kitchen for me to use rent-free for about a year. Jaime is unforgettable and will always remain the key individual who gave me a chance despite my personal insecurities.

What do you feel are your biggest struggles?

My biggest struggle is “rest.” Like most entrepreneurs, I struggle with the “guilt game,” that if I am not busy, I am not productive, while resting is a vital element of productivity. I have been training myself to get better at “resting” and “relaxing,” and I hope to be better at it as time goes by and as I work intentionally to pay attention to myself and my health instead of being a workaholic. 

How has social media helped you with your business journey thus far?

I manage my social media platforms, and if I have to be truthful, I have no clue what I am doing. I know that my customers are attracted to the entertainment I provide with the dancing videos, videos of me teaching Haitian proverbs and their Creole pronunciations, and the funny stories I count at times, but when it comes to promoting my products and generating sales through my social media platforms, I am still trying to figure out what the best strategies are. On the other hand, my customers can track me down around Portland because I always let them know where I am or will be through my social media platforms.

Where can we find you when you are not in the kitchen trying a new recipe, writing a new recipe book, or offering cooking classes online?

You’ll find me writing papers and working on class projects with my classmates in school. I am looking forward to my post-graduate-school life in December.