Today we’d like to introduce you to Geoffrey Ellis.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Inspiring Stories: Meet Geoff Ellis of Mum FoodsToday we’re thrilled to introduce you to Geoff Ellis, the culinary visionary behind Mum Foods. Born in Austin’s vibrant farmers’ markets and now a critically acclaimed brick-and-mortar destination, Mum Foods has rewritten the rules of Texas comfort food by seamlessly weaving the rich traditions of a classic New York Jewish delicatessen with the soul of Central Texas barbecue.We’d love to start at the beginning. How did your personal journey shape the concept behind Mum Foods?The soul of Mum Foods really traces back to my childhood summers. I have Jewish heritage, and I spent my summer excursions with my grandparents in Queens and Manhattan. That was my introduction to the incredible, vibrant deli culture of New York City. The smells, the energy, and in particular, the legendary smoked meats left a permanent mark on me.Years later, when I began my own professional culinary journey back home, I realized I wanted to do something completely unique: weave that rich NYC deli heritage into the DNA of traditional Central Texas barbecue. With that vision in mind, our now-famous smoked Pastrami was born.How did the business grow from a passion project into what it is today?We started small and stayed close to our community. In 2014, Mum Foods officially launched out of the Austin area farmers’ markets. We actually began primarily as a sourdough bakery and a producer of local sundry staples. In fact, the name “Mum” is a direct nod to our original sourdough starter, which we nurtured daily.Our artisan breads were a hit, but we needed something extraordinary to complement them. Pulling from my lifelong familiarity with the historic, great barbecue houses of Central Texas, we fired up a family heirloom pit. We set to work crafting a smokehouse program that honored the old ways of wood-fire cooking and seasoning, but with a strict local standard: we committed to using only 100% Texas-raised beef. We spent nearly a decade slicing brisket and pastrami on weekends for our loyal farmers’ market patrons. Then, in December of 2022, we finally took the leap and opened our first permanent brick-and-mortar location at 5811 Manor Rd. in Austin’s Windsor Park neighborhood.Since opening the brick-and-mortar, you’ve received immense national praise. What has that been like?It has been incredibly humbling. While we are still deeply committed to crafting all of our scratch breads, soups, smoked meats, sides, and desserts by hand every single day, the culinary world has definitely taken notice. Mum Foods has been honored with recognition from the Michelin Guide, the James Beard Foundation, The New York Times, and USA Today, among many others.But at the end of the day, the awards aren’t what drive us. Mum Foods operates on a deeper belief that local food can be a true mechanism for change and the improvement of our natural world. We view delicatessens not just as places to eat, but as vital “third places”—community hubs where neighbors can step away from work and home, grow closer together, and connect over a spectacular nosh.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth or easy road. In the early days of the business, our biggest challenge was simply the sheer physical demand of prepping, cooking, and slicing massive volumes of artisan barbecue with just a two-person crew. Anyone who knows Texas knows our summers get absolutely brutal. For years on end, we were caught in a grueling cycle of cooking all through the night in the sweltering heat, only to turn right around and serve hungry crowds all morning long. It was exhausting, but the incredible dedication of our customers and fans kept us energized and inspired us to keep showing up.Beyond the physical toll, maintaining our absolute commitment to a 100% Texas-raised beef program was a logistical nightmare. In a crowded market, finding the sheer volume of local beef that met our strict standards forced us to do a lot of crazy things to keep our ethos alive. We’re talking about random late-night pickups at airport cargo areas, driving out for direct ranch visits, and having local farmers literally haul extra briskets to us themselves in the back of their pickup trucks. We did whatever it took.
How have you navigated those hurdles as you’ve grown?
Thankfully, logistics are a little smoother these days. We are incredibly lucky to have an amazing, reliable partner in Goodstock Beef, which has helped stabilize our supply chain without forcing us to compromise an inch on our Texas-raised principles. Of course, the modern hospitality industry brings fresh challenges, particularly with the rising costs of doing business across the board. But honestly, we look at it with a sense of gratitude. We see it as an ongoing opportunity to problem-solve, innovate, and continuously push ourselves to be the absolute best we can be for the community that supported us from the very beginning.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Looking back at everything you’ve built since 2014, what are you most proud of?
First and foremost, I am profoundly proud of our team at Mum Foods. Everyone—from our management team to our kitchen staff and our porters—plays a massive, irreplaceable role in delivering warm and inviting hospitality every single day. The people are the true backbone of Mum Foods, and without them, absolutely nothing happens.Secondly, I am incredibly proud of the amazing community that has formed around us, both at the farmers’ markets and at our neighborhood deli. In today’s world, people have so many amazing options on how to spend their hard-earned money and their limited time. We are endlessly flattered and humbled that some of them choose to spend those precious resources with us. Along those same lines, the trust shown to us by our catering and special event clients—who trust us to handle some of the most important meals of their lives—means a tremendous amount to our entire team.On a culinary level, I take immense pride in our unwavering integrity to serve only 100% Texas beef and to support as much local farm production as we possibly can. And finally, on a deeply personal note, I am incredibly proud to introduce my family’s culinary heritage to new faces every day, paying homage to the great delicatessens and legendary barbecues of the past while building something meaningful for the future.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is to anchor yourself in an unshakeable core ethos from day one, and then be prepared to outwork everyone to protect it. When you’re just starting out, especially if you have a small crew, the physical and mental demands can be overwhelming. You will face brutal hours, rising costs, and logistical hurdles that make shortcuts look incredibly tempting. But your integrity, whether that means sourcing 100% local ingredients, making everything from scratch, or honoring a specific culinary heritage, is the exact thing that will differentiate you in a crowded market. If you compromise on your standards early just because it’s easier, you lose the very soul of what makes your concept special.Secondly, never underestimate the power of your team and your community. Take care of the people who work with you, from your management to your porters, because they are the real backbone of your business. Nothing happens without them. And finally, view your space not just as a place that sells food, but as a “third place” for your neighborhood. If you focus on building genuine relationships with your patrons, serving them with warm hospitality, and earning their trust with the meals that shape their lives, that community will carry you through the hardest seasons. Take care of your people, stand by your sourcing, and get comfortable with the grit it takes to problem-solve every single day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mumfoodsatx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mumfoodsatx
