Turning family flavor into national recognition, one handful of lentils at a time.
From The Lentil House to Whole Foods shelves
Sometimes the most powerful revolutions begin with the most ordinary things. A quiet evening. A mother in the kitchen. A child watching closely, just old enough to help. That was the setting for Sharlay Smith, founder of The Lentil House. Her food empire started not with a marketing plan, but with a bowl of fried lentils.
On The Contrast Project Lounge Podcast, Sharlay sat down with Tracy Rigdon and Jim Alabiso. She shared her journey from classroom to kitchen. She transitioned from being a teacher to an award-winning food entrepreneur. It started as a nostalgic snack rooted in family tradition. This evolved into a culinary calling. Eventually, it became a product stocked on Whole Foods shelves across Florida.
But this story isn’t just about lentils. It’s about legacy. Fearlessness. Flavor. And it’s a masterclass in what happens when you trust your instincts. You can ignore the doubters. Let your passion guide the hustle.
The Recipe That Raised Her
Before The Lentil House had awards, labels, or shelf space, it had a kitchen filled with warmth and oil-slicked pans. Sharlay recalls the moment with clarity. Her mother let her help prepare the family’s go-to snack. They made fried lentils for movie nights. Those moments weren’t just formative. They were sacred.
“My business idea for The Lentil House came from the memories. I was just old enough to help my mom make fried lentils in the kitchen,” she shared.
For most, that memory might have stayed a private comfort. For Sharlay, it became the seed of something bigger. As an adult navigating a life-changing transition, she didn’t turn to venture capital. She turned to what she already had: flavor, tradition, and a food that people couldn’t stop raving about.
From Passion Project to Market Booth
Every origin story worth telling involves a leap. Sharlay’s leap came when she stepped out of the classroom. She entered the chaos of building a food business. She had a handful of ingredients and a legacy recipe. She hit local markets and sold small batches of her now-iconic fried lentils. The flavors included Turmeric & Sea Salt, Rosemary & Sea Salt, and Smoked Paprika.
The response? Immediate. People weren’t just buying, they were coming back for more. Asking questions. Shouting out “Hey, it’s the lentil lady!” in parking lots.
“That was the day that I discovered I had a business idea all along,” she recalled.
What followed was a series of intentional steps. They involved refining the recipe, expanding flavors, and building brand identity. Throughout this process, they stayed rooted in the joy of sharing something delicious that meant something.
Award-Winning Flavors, Organic Growth
From turmeric to sriracha, the flavor profiles Sharlay developed weren’t just bold—they were personal. And they weren’t just good, they were award-winning. In 2019, 2020, and 2022, her snacks earned Good Food Awards in the snack category. The accolades helped, sure, but more than anything, they validated what she already knew:
“If you have an idea and you’re passionate about it, don’t think twice about it. Just do it.”
By 2022, The Lentil House was racking up recognition. Her Smoked Paprika & Sea Salt flavor swept multiple awards, backed by customer love and market momentum. And yet, through it all, Sharlay stayed grounded—still remembering movie nights, still calling each batch a tribute to her mom.
Whole Foods Comes Calling
For small-batch entrepreneurs, landing on Whole Foods shelves is a pipe dream. But sometimes, dreams knock on your door in an unexpected email. One day, Sharlay got a message: Whole Foods wanted samples.
From there, things moved fast, but not without work. She pitched. She prepped. She believed. And eventually, she walked into a Whole Foods store and saw her product on the shelf.
“Don’t let fear get in the way,” she says. “Just go ahead and do it.”
It wasn’t luck. It was readiness. She had built the product. She had built the story. And when opportunity came, she didn’t hesitate, she showed up.
The Cost of Courage And the Power of Community
No one builds a food business from scratch without some bruises. Sharlay faced them all, scaling challenges, product sourcing, distribution logistics, and the emotional weight of solo entrepreneurship.
But she didn’t do it entirely alone.
The local food community showed up. Market customers cheered her on. Mentors offered advice. Friends helped stir and sort and ship. Each time she felt like giving up, someone reminded her. She was building more than just a snack brand. It was hope wrapped in sea salt and lentils.
“Support from the local food community can make a difference,” she said. And she meant it.
Women of Color in the Food Industry; Why This Matters
Let’s not gloss over it: the food industry is still a minefield for Black women trying to scale consumer-packaged goods. Access to capital, exposure, and shelf space often require connections, and white privilege still tilts the playing field.
But Sharlay navigated it with a mix of quiet power and unshakable resolve. She didn’t ask for a seat at the table. She built her own table, filled it with flavor, and then invited Whole Foods to pull up a chair.
Her visibility matters. Her brand matters. Every time a Black woman builds something this successful, it changes the narrative. It shows who gets to shape taste. It demonstrates who can lead innovation. It defines “healthy food” on their terms.
Fried Lentils as Love Language
When you open a bag of The Lentil House snacks, you’re not just eating a product, you’re tasting a memory. Every batch, every flavor, every bag carries the imprint of home and joy. It embodies the radical act of believing that something so simple could be so powerful.
“I enjoy making lentils. And my friends and my family love my lentils.”
You hear it in her voice. This isn’t branding. This is biography. This is generational love expressed in turmeric and rosemary, fried up with purpose and packaged for the world.
Lessons for Aspiring Creators
Sharlay’s story is more than a business case study. It’s a blueprint for anyone sitting on a dream. Her advice is direct: trust your gut, take the leap, and don’t let perfectionism or fear slow you down.
She didn’t have a five-year plan. She had lentils, hustle, and a deep love for feeding people. And that was enough to start.
“Passion and talent can be turned into a business.”
Her journey reminds us that you don’t need venture funding or a culinary degree to get started. You need something you love. You need a reason to share it. You also need the courage to fail forward until it works.
Sharlays’ Journey is a Statement
Sharlay Smith didn’t just turn a snack into a business. She turned a family ritual into a cultural imprint. She built The Lentil House from heart and from hustle. She built it with the kind of grounded vision that doesn’t chase trends but sets them.
Her journey takes her from small markets to Whole Foods shelves. From her mom’s kitchen, she has gained national recognition. She proves that passion meets purpose when you show up repeatedly. You can fry your way right into the center of a movement.
This isn’t just a success story. It’s a reminder that joy, resilience, and flavor will always find their way home.
#TheLentilHouse #SharlaySmith #HealthySnacks #FromKitchenToWholeFoods #BlackFoodEntrepreneur #SnackStartup #FriedLentils #CreativeWomen #PassionToProfit #ContrastProjectPodcast
