Lauryn wears The Nautical Wide Leg in Cinnamon

Haiii, I’m Lauryn Bodden, but my close friends call me Bodden. I’ve generally always been obsessed with food. It’s how I relate to people and the world. I’m from Florida, played some D1 soccer at SMU in Texas, and moved to NYC right after to pursue my dreams.

I always knew I wanted to work in food, but I could never place exactly what that meant. I worked many different career paths within the industry because I never felt like one thing clicked. Looking back, this ended up creating the perfect blueprint for S’NOODS.  

Over the past 10 years I’ve worked in food media and kitchens across not only New York City, but all over the world as a private chef (with Sailing Collective). I got my start as a line cook at farm-to-table restaurant Hearth in NYC followed by assisting Top Chef’s Gail Simmons, then styling and editing for meal kits. The last few years, I worked in food media developing recipes and filming how-tos for publications including Spruce Eats, Delish, and Simply Recipes. 

Outside of work, I’m either heading to my crossfit gym with my pup, catching an EDM show, jumping into parkour classes led by my boyfriend, or planning my next trip.  

What led you to launch S'noods?

 I never imagined myself as a founder, let alone one in the snack industry. I always knew I wanted to work in food, but I could never place exactly what that meant. I felt like nothing ever clicked, but also that I wanted more. Looking back, it was like I built the roadmap to S’NOODS.  

Winning Netflix’s Snack vs Chef with the S’NOODS concept was a turning point. Drawing on my culinary background, I saw an opportunity to create a snack brand that was both delicious and educational. My experience in the hospitality industry exposed me to a wide range of cuisines. And, my experience in media and product development showed me how consumers interact with food. Frustrated by how SEO (keywords companies use to better rank websites/content) often dictated what people ate, I aimed to offer a culinary experience that transports people to different destinations through their taste buds, while shedding light on these regional cuisines. Because there’s a bowl of noodle in just about every corner of the globe, so it felt like a great way to connect with snackers.

After winning the competition, I embarked on a steep learning curve. With the help of mentors, advisors, and grants, I began developing my noodle chips in a commercial kitchen with limited drops online before fully launching with our co-manufacturing partner in February 2024. We've achieved significant milestones in less than a year, including distribution in over 230+ stores nationwide and accolades from respected industry leaders. And, we just launched our first limited edition flavor for the holiday season: Sweet Kugel!

 

Lauryn is wearing The Keynote Slim Straight Jean in Dark

 

What other food brands/chefs inspire you?

I don’t think there’s one specific name that rolls off my tongue these days. I’m in awe of other founders I’ve come to know and the obstacles they’ve overcome for brands like Paro, Doosra, Wandel, Nooish, and more.  

Helen Park was one of our judges from Snack vs Chef whom I’ve grown close to as she became a mentor for me when I was trying to figure out where to even start. She’s the brains and palate behind many big profile chefs. Clarice Lam is a force and I’m stoked for the debut of her cookbook Breaking Bao. And, Brooke Caison! We’ve oddly worked at some of the same places (but never together) and now she creates recipes for Delish. We are launching a recipe series for S’NOODS this month that will be a whole lotta fun.

 

What is a food trend you are loving?

I’m generally game for any trend that pushes people to get curious about their food and try new things. I’m excited for the rise of upcycling—repurposing food that would otherwise be wasted and creating something new. For example, using spent grains from breweries to make crackers versus throwing them out at the end of the fermentation process. I would love to use upcycled grains and vegetable powders in our formulations for S’NOODS to further encourage this practice, but sustainable practices are expensive, especially for small businesses. So, we are hoping to grow this footprint and work with more upcycled suppliers as we grow as a company.

 

Lauryn is wearing The Keynote Slim Straight Jean in Dark

What moment in your career so far are you most proud of?

I think the moment I leaned into who I am as a chef and individual when I competed on Snack vs Chef. I started making food I love and let my personality shine. This naturally let me relax, which ultimately led me to winning. I was finally about to shed my imposter syndrome skin that I built up after years of listening to unkind words from coaches, bosses, partners, and people I thought I respected. 

Within the same year I won Snack vs Chef, I started my company S’NOODS and I took a job as a private chef on sailing charters around the world (when I had ZERO boating experience and barely any experience traveling outside of North America). I’ve learned to fully push myself on all fronts as a chef, as a business owner, and as an individual.  

 

What is your advice for someone wanting to start their own brand in the food industry?

Be kind to yourself, be patient, don’t give up, and make sure you have a support team around you whether that’s friends, families, peers, etc. Running a company, especially if you’re a solo founder like myself, is a wild ride that you will never be able to control. You’ll fight a lot of internal demons, so having people to lean on is crucial. Take the wins even if it’s hard to recognize them because you know there’s still such a long road ahead. And, find your network of fellow founders. These are the individuals that get what you’re going through the most and can really help pull you out of any dark spells as you grow.

 

Lauryn is wearing The Keynote Slim Straight Jean in Dark

 

How do you like to style your Just Black Denim?

I fully believe in dopamine dressing, aka when the outfit you’re wearing transmits euphoria to your brain, boosting your attitude. I find this happens through a glittery statement piece, something cozy yet chic, or anything that just feels peak-me.  And a solid pair of denim? Oh lala. It’s basically the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants effect. Everyone has such distinct body types, so trying on jeans can feel somewhat embarrassing at times. But, when I find a pair that slips on like a glove, hugs me just right, can go fancy or casual, AND YOU’RE COZY?! End game.  

If I’m not in my New York uniform (all black), then I love a pop of color or keeping it simple and rocking some statement kicks. I’ve been having fun with colored denim these days, so to say I’m obsessed with my pair of Cinnamon Nautical Wide Leg, is the understatement of the year. I’m constantly on the move and usually on a bike, so I love anything that can make me feel sexy while giving me room to dance around.

 

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