Love, legacy, and integrity. These three ingredients may not show up on the nutrition label on Mr. Frank’s Kitchen spices, but they are at the heart of each and every product.
For Lisa Campbell, opening Mr. Frank’s Kitchen in 2016 was all about carrying on her father’s legacy. Mr. Frank Postl — Lisa’s father — immigrated to Ontario in the 1950s and opened Frank’s Steakhouse and Tavern in 1964. It quickly became one of the top restaurants in Canada, thanks in a large part to his famous homemade steak spice.
After he passed away in 2008, Lisa decided to share her father’s spice — dubbed “The Original” — with the rest of the world. Her spice supplier at the time encouraged her to create new spice combinations to complement the original recipe, so she did just that. After more than eight months of research and development, she produced five additional seasonings: Seasoning Salt, Garden Sriracha, Tropical Sriracha, Spicy Original, and Mediterranean.
“All of the spices are really awesome on meats, seafood, pastas, vegetables, and rice. Lots of people have been putting it on popcorn,” Lisa says.
After rounding out her spice selection, Lisa had the opportunity to open a food truck that incorporated her spices into all the recipes. She’s since sold the bus — Brother’s Bus Bistro now uses the bus as well as her spices — but continues to share her spices through various retailers.
“It was really great to be able to have a hands-on approach with seeing customers trying the spices and enjoying them and getting feedback from them,” she says.
Despite the company’s expanding customer base, Mr. Frank’s Kitchen is still a locally owned company that relies on local connections. Lisa partners with S.A. Milligan — a spice supplier based in Sumner — to blend and distribute her spices. Skagit’s Own Fish Market, Valley Market, and Haggen grocery stores are just a few of the local retailers that carry Mr. Frank’s spices.
Word has begun to spread about Mr. Frank’s Kitchen, however, and the business is beginning to expand its reach to customers far and wide. For one, the spices will soon be seen on shelves in Whole Foods and other retailers across the country. Lisa’s spices have even made it across the pond to Europe, where a Michelin-starred chef has crafted his menu around Mr. Frank’s spices.
“It’s been humbling — I am very grateful,” Lisa says. 2748 Peace Portal Dr., Ste. 101, Blaine, 360.949.3236, mrfrankskitchen.com
