How a Desire for Community and Better Work Fashion Made This Line Cook a ‘Milpreneur’

While searching for locally owned shops, products, and business owners, it’s not as common to find an LA based brand or product that has grown as quickly or successfully as that of the Hedley & Bennett brand. I came across the brand years ago, put a note somewhere (since lost) to write a feature on it as it seemed to be a newer start up brand with a cool story. Fast forward 4+ years and I had forgotten this brand existed. It wasn’t until someone notable on Instagram posted about a Hedley & Bennett product that I was reminded of the brand. It’s not surprising to see how much this company has grown in the past few years once you discover the vision and woman behind it all.

A 25 year old line cook at Bäco Mercat and 2-Michelin starred Providence in Los Angeles, Ellen Bennett saw a gap in the market. She saw the inconsistency between the food she was preparing and the less dignified gear she was wearing. So, with a passion to upgrade her uniform, she not only continued working both line cook jobs, but also threw herself into growing her apron business, spending time at farmers markets on the weekends and hustling herself and her vision into kitchens, introducing herself to chefs everywhere.

Bennett started the business with a dream and $300 in her pocket in 2012. With hard work, hustle, and determination, she quickly grew the business and became what has been dubbed a ‘Milpreneur’, a millennial entrepreneur under the age of 35, and one of the 10 million women in America that is growing her business at a rate of 1.5 times more than the national average. Bennett’s aprons have found themselves in over 6000 restaurants in the United States, all still completely hand made. The price ranges from $50 to $150  with 100 different fabrics and colors. They’ve since expanded from just aprons to chef coats, socks, knife bags, and more recently, face masks.

Image via - Discover Los Angeles

But there was more to the vision than just creating a cleaner, more dignified apron and chef coat for the line cook and chef alike. Bennett also had the desire to bring communities together. As social media has opened up incredible opportunities for communities who would have otherwise never met, she’s partnered with this communal idea for cookbook parties, brunch parties, and even charity events. 

Her products are all handcrafted from start to finish, using top grade American canvas, raw Japanese selvage denim, and European linens. With the intention for these products to last for the long run, each fabrication detail is carefully considered and tested to handle the rigorous demands of a professional kitchen. In just 8 years, this young woman went from a line cook disillusioned with the drab standards she found in her profession, to a Milpreneur with a multi-millionaire dollar business, all the while staying true to the integrity of her handmade products and a love for community.