We’ve seen all the meme about how a charcuterie board is simply a fancy Lunchable for adults. The plastic box with its little sections is a far cry from the sophisticated boards of today, which are often seen on gorgeous marble slabs, creatively shaped platters, or rustic slices of wood. New Jersey local Rachael Ginter has made a business out of her beautiful boards, with creativity at the core of her work. Enter: Dream Boards. Rachael has made boards using all kinds of ingredients, such as candy and pancakes, and has served them up on a variety of surfaces, including a Barbie Dream Car. Read on to learn about the magic behind Dream Boards.
Born in Burlington County
Rachael is a married mom of two who lives in her native Burlington County, NJ. She is the food stylist behind Dream Boards Co., which started like most great ideas do, in the middle of the night. “I was scrolling Instagram while feeding my youngest in the middle of the night, and I came across some boards on the Explore page.” Rachael was drawn to the colors, textures, and design aspects of the boards, which were composed of classic meats and cheeses, but also candy, s’mores, pancakes, sandwich fixings, and all kinds of things.
That was in November 2018, and Rachael spent that holiday season making boards for friends and family using the inspiration she found online. The boards were a hit: she had requests from friends and her extended network to make boards for social and professional events. It was a board made of Girl Scout Cookies in May of 2019 that made Rachael realize how much her skills had improved, and simply what a great time she was having with the boards. By mid-2019, Rachael had formed an LLC, got all the necessary business licenses, and rented space in a commercial kitchen to accommodate all the work.
Read More: Your Guide to Buying Gourmet Cheese in Hoboken + Jersey City
Like many others, when the pandemic hit, Rachael had to figure out what the next move would be for her business. She left the commercial kitchen, and since people weren’t gathering in groups the way they used to, things were looking murky for the brand, which was built on the premise of social gatherings and sharing food.
The Pandemic Pivot
Rachael thought about what was at the core of Dream Boards Co. that made it so enjoyable and special. She realized that it was the actual building of the board: selecting all of the elements, putting them together in an appealing and artful way, and then sharing the finished product with others. Even though people couldn’t share the boards together, Rachael could still share the fun of the boards.
Rachael launched online classes where students learn how to select and assemble an Insta-worthy board. The class is taught via Zoom, and attendees get a shopping list in advance so they are prepared. Rachael walks students through the basic design elements of a board, what types of ingredients to include, how to make the board stand out, and offers witty commentary along the way.
One of Rachael’s signatures on her designs is the incorporation of an unexpected element, such as fresh flowers, a sprig of fresh herbs, candy in a complementary shape or color, and serving dishes and accents that go with the board’s theme.
The two main types of classes are Charcuterie Board Basics, and Holiday-specific classes, where students prepare a board for a particular holiday. Students can also work with Rachael to create a custom class, for example, a class for teens, or a birthday event where the board is made up of the honoree’s favorite foods.
In addition to the online classes, Rachael also works with brands and other organizations who want a board for marketing material, to announce a new product, or show something off in a new way. Some of her past clients include Frito-Lay, Lindt Chocolates, Darbo International, Three Pigs Pate, and Rojo’s Salsa.
Bravo for Boards
What started off as a pleasurable hobby for Rachael has now opened unimaginable doors for her personally and as a professional food stylist. Rachael credits the online ‘board community’ for a lot of her inspiration, and she’s made many friends online who have turned into IRL friendships. One of her best board friends is Ashley Volet of Sorrenteaux Boards.
^ Darbo International, a client of Rachel’s
The two women connected over their shared love of boards via Instagram, and have worked together to teach classes and do live events for fans online. One of the most memorable challenges the two did was to make a state-shaped board using local, seasonal produce. Ashley’s California board featured persimmons and Rachael used cranberries on her Jersey board. In fact, it was Rachael’s friendship with Ashley that resulted in a board being served on a Barbie Dream Car and another one in a Caboodle: it was part of a 90’s-themed board challenge that the two did together.
Rachael’s imaginative designs and knack for the unexpected led to her winning the Cravings Boards Contest, organized by celebrity, author, and chef Chrissy Teigen as part of her Cravings cookbook launch in 2020. Out of over 5,000 entries, Rachael’s 90’s-themed board was one of the seven winners picked by Chrissy. The board was noted for its use of nostalgic snacks like Dunkaroos, Pop Rocks, Cosmic Brownies, and candy necklaces.
^ Lindt Chocolate, a client of Rachel’s
A real “pinch-me” moment for Rachael was meeting and working with Jake Cohen of The FeedFeed. It was one of Jake’s boards that she spotted on that fateful middle-of-the-night Instagram scroll that inspired Rachael to try making boards. Rachael made a board with Jake for the 2020 holiday season in a live online event hosted by The FeedFeed.
See More: How to Create the Perfect Cheeseboard
Most of all, Rachael is having fun sharing the enjoyment of a great board. Whether it’s filled with traditional meats and cheeses, the materials for a pancake party, or a candy snacking platter, nothing brings people together (IRL or virtually) like a delicious and beautiful treat.
To keep up with Dream Boards Co., follow along on Facebook here, and on Instagram here. Contact Rachael through the Dream Boards Co. website to set up a personalized class for your event.
