SHERIDAN, Ind. — Grazing on platters filled with meat and cheese is all the craze. Making a business of it, happened by chance for Christy Johnson. She built a super-sized charcuterie board for a girl's night at her home. Her friends were so impressed with her work, they encouraged her to open a board business.
Back in 2018, Johnson's three sons were getting older and she was looking for something new. So she took a risk in hopes she'd finally find her passion.
"When I went to college, I didn't know what I wanted to do," Johnson said. "But I always had that crafty side. I've dabbled in cake decorating. I've dabbled in flowers, and I dabbled in charcuterie because I'm by no means a trained chef. So I do everything just by eye, but I absolutely love it."
Johnson opened The Bountiful Board and started catering small to table-sized edibles for showers, reunions, and birthday parties. She marketed the business by posting pictures of her creations on Instagram and orders multiplied.
The Bountiful Board
"Everything is just falling into place. I wouldn't say it's been easy, but the opportunity has been there and the door has been open. And that's not always the case. I can honestly say when I wake up, I'm excited to come in and make these boards," Johnson said.
Johnson offered some pro tips for those who want to make their board stand out:
- Cut ingredients in a variety of shapes — think cucumber spears instead of spheres and cheese triangles instead of squares.
- Buy variety packages (crackers, cheese and cold cuts) to save money and increase options.
- Use small containers to portion off small items like nuts, olives and raisins.
- Consider adding a small jar of preserves or honey.
When building the board Johnson recommends starting with a pile of grapes and building around it. Then, rotate the board to cover open spaces and continue to create layers. Kick it up a notch by adding sprigs of rosemary, custom toothpicks and custom cookies.
Right now, Johnson runs the business from a rented kitchen in Sheridan. But her goal is to have her own storefront open before Thanksgiving.
"I didn't think I'd be starting a business at 46 years old.," Johnson said. "But I think I finally I found what it does — make the best version of me. I go home happy every day."