Ella Mills Profile
Ella Mills, also known as Deliciously Ella, has been dominating the plant-based game for over four years. What started as just a blog, deliciouslyella.com, to document her recipes while trying to minimize her illness’ symptoms has turned into four wildly popular cookbooks, three delis, and a product range available in supermarkets across the UK. Ella is nothing short of a self made woman.
What was your university experience like?
It was pretty mixed really, I loved my first two years and had the most amazing time. I got very ill in the summer on my second year though and spent four months in and out of hospital, before being diagnosed with a condition that affected autonomic nervous system. I was struggling to control my heart rate, circulation, digestive system and lots more, as well as having chronic fatigue. I spent most of my third year in bed on my own, struggling both mentally and physically with the condition before deciding to change my lifestyle and see if I could improve some of the symptoms through diet and exercise. As I started experimenting in the kitchen and learning to cook I decided to record it all on a blog, deliciouslyella.com, which ended up becoming a career for me and as the change in lifestyle began to help my symptoms, I feel in love with plant based cooking and five years later had opened three cafes in London, written four best-selling books, created a recipe app and launched three lines of products into supermarkets all over the UK. It’s been quite an adventure to say the least!
If you could change one thing about your university experience what would it be?
In some ways I wish I could have fully experienced my last two years there and my illness really affected my friendships, as I couldn’t do what everyone else was over those last two years, but then that pushed me to start my blog, which ultimately created the most amazing life for me where I get to do something that I’m passionate about every day, so I wouldn’t change anything.
When you were in university did you know where you wanted to go in life?
Absolutely not, I had no idea what I wanted to do! I certainly never thought I’d end up running my own business though, and wasn’t very ambitious when I started university
When you started your blog, Deliciously Ella, did you have any long term business goals?
I started it as a personal project with no intention of anyone else ever reading it, which seems ironic now as it’s had about 130 million hits! It all developed really organically to be honest and I just started responding to what our community were asking for.
Is it hard to balance your demanding business life with your personal life?
It can be. I work with my husband though, which makes a huge difference – we even walk to work together everyday with our dog, Austin.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone in university with aspirations of starting their own business?
To do something you love. When you start your own business you have to be willing to dedicate everything to do and in many ways it completely takes over your life, so it’s important to find something that you truly want to be that committed to, otherwise it may feel like a sacrifice.
What’s your favorite recipe you’ve ever created?
I love big veggie curries with tons of herbs and spices, coconut milk and a side of miso and sesame brown rice. My sweet potato brownies have been the most popular recipe ever on the blog though, closely followed by our cacao and almond energy balls.
Living at university the extent of most people’s kitchen is a mini fridge, microwave, and blender. Do you have any suggestions for recipes to make in a dorm room?
One pan dishes are the best, like big chickpea chilies or black bean stews – they freeze really well too!