At FoodMix Marketing Communications, we talk a lot about how we help brands grow love—but we also have our own culinary…er, adventures behind the scenes. We asked a few members of the team to confess their most chaotic cooking moments of 2025. Following is a little color to help you get to know us, featuring some fun mishaps…and some great “haps.”

Lauren Rickenbrode

My most chaotic cooking moment of the year was when I accidentally left a hard-boiled egg in the microwave a little too long, and the moment I opened the door it exploded everywhere. In my hair, all over my face, the counters, the floor—even the ceiling wasn’t spared. And, of course, this happened right as I was about to leave for work, so I may have showed up smelling faintly of eggs that day. 😂

Ryan Mabbott

I was making some good ol’ Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. (Not that it matters, but I add cooked broccoli because I’m an adult.) It was time to drain the water from the pot. As it was filled to the brim with boiling hot water and I walked slowly to the sink, my lovely feline friend decided it was the perfect time to walk directly in my stride. I stumbled and shouted profanities as I fell like a tree. My wife, who got a front-row view of all this, couldn’t stop laughing. So that was fun (chaotic)! *No animals were harmed.

Lauren Nortier

I was helping my family set up and prep for the holidays. One evening, as I was assisting with dinner, I accidentally managed to set myself—a little—on fire. Luckily, the only thing that got singed, outside of my sweater, was my ego. I’ve since learned to never wear an oversized sweater when cooking, and I may or may not have lost stovetop privileges during the holiday season.

Tracy Weiner

Every year, my family hosts what can only be described as The Cookie Olympics. For 24 years and counting, the Family Cookie Bake has been our sacred (and slightly unhinged) holiday tradition. What started as a casual Saturday in the kitchen with my mom and sisters has grown into a full-scale, sugar-powered event with aunts, cousins, childhood friends, and neighbors. The ovens turn on at 9 AM and don’t turn off until 6 PM. Everyone shows up with a triple batch of their chosen recipe, and then it’s an all-day cycle of rolling, scooping, sprinkling, and baking. It’s joyful chaos at its finest.

The busiest spot is the oven station, where my best friend and I spend most of the day. We’re basically the unofficial quality control team and “Guardians of the Bake.” Timers are constantly going off, trays are rotating nonstop, and we’re keeping a close eye on each batch to make sure everything comes out just right. It’s hot, it’s hectic, and by mid-afternoon we’re usually getting pretty punchy…but it’s also the part of the day where we fall into a rhythm and remember exactly why we show up for this every year.

This year we hit a record: 3,213 cookies in one day. One might say it’s less “holiday baking” and more “manufacturing” at that count. My favorite part is the group itself. Twenty women catching up, laughing, tasting dough when we think no one is looking, and filling tin after tin with cookies to share with our families and friends. Is it exhausting? Absolutely. Is it chaotic? Without a doubt. But it’s also the brightest, warmest part of our holiday season. It’s tradition, connection, and sharing a little sweetness in every sense of the word, just as my mom intended 24 years ago.