Meet Jeremy Troupe-masi | Owner | JTM In The Kitchen Spice Pantry

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeremy Troupe-masi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeremy, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I enjoy answering the question of what factors have impacted my success. It gives me the opportunity to take inventory of essential elements in creating my business. For me, the most consistent factor in making progress has been building and nurturing relationships.

As a child, I was raised in a large community of friends, family, and loved ones. My parents did a great job preparing me while also putting me in positions to learn my own lessons. When taking inventory of my biggest triumphs and most significant failures, what I find consistent in both cases is the emphasis on the people who either influenced me or were affected by my decisions. Growing up in communities rich in culture and perspective has ingrained in me a tribe-like mentality. I also participated in various team sports, which gave me invaluable experience. This mindset pushes me to be collaborative, empathetic, competitive, inventive, mindful, and other traits that I am sure add value to what I hope my business and brand become. 

Over the years, I have also had the opportunity to build and lead many teams. In the broader conversation of relationship building and nurturing, I feel strongly that leaders play the most impactful role in shaping what is to become of their communities or, as I like to call them, tribes. My experiences have also shown me that leaders come in all shapes and sizes. The ones who lead best are mindful of this—giving others both the space and chance to lean into their strengths to influence the betterment of the tribe.

My business is only four years young, and there are many jars and bags of spice to sell before I reach my next peak. Ten years ago, I was still determining exactly what my business would be. Being intentional about the time spent building and nurturing relationships is among the most impactful decisions I have made. If you are an independent business owner, you are likely familiar with the weight of building your brand. Spending time inspiring, listening, honoring, and, most days, just feeding people cannot be taken for granted. These critical moments motivate people to support your business and brand for more than just a single purchase. People are more thoughtful about how and where they spend their money these days. Spices are a daily transaction that allows me to bring people together. It puts money in my pocket but is one of many transactions I record. Relationships are long-term investments that last over years or a lifetime if you are lucky. They will exhaust you and won’t always shake out how you may have hoped. But when nurtured, they will serve as the best investment of your time that you can make.

I have a rather good idea of what my next peak might look like. Exactly how I get there is a part of the journey I hope to share. Take care of people, and they will take care of you.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Athletics kept me motivated in early academia. I spent my first few years out of high school at the College of San Mateo before transferring to Wisconsin-Stout, a small polytechnic school in the middle of nowhere, WI. I hadn’t even visited the school before committing to attend. I was all in on football and thought it would be my meal ticket. Like so many young athletes, I learned quickly that exploring options outside of sports would be necessary. This was when I was somewhat forced to lean into my major – Hospitality & Tourism with an emphasis on Restaurant Management. Late in my junior year of college, I really began to learn that one could have a professional career in an industry commonly considered a commuter’s career. After that point, my focus took a 360, and I began to stoke the fire on a long-standing passion of mine. After college, I secured a job on the management team at The Bohemian Club in SF & Sonoma, California. After four years, I worked as the AGM & Beverage Director for Roka Akor SF for a few years before my wife and I found a new home in the Livermore Valley. The Livermore Valley is one of California’s most historic wine countries and is home to one of the largest surplus of craft makers of all sorts of ingredients, products, and goods. I will let others share what they feel sets me apart. However, a consistency I have seen in people who inspire me is persistence in their craft and an ability to improve the people around them. There will always be someone out there who is hungrier and, in some cases, more talented, but those who continue to learn from their mistakes and build on new and existing relationships will stand out in the long run. This journey has not been easy, and I have a long road ahead, but I remind myself to count my blessings daily, continue to honor the people around me, and impact my community for the better. I would hope that one day, people might say that I was able to humanize my products and services. Creating accessible and diverse spaces where anyone can meet over a great meal and company. People, after all, are the reason I do this. At the end of the day, my spices are the beautiful medium that I get to offer to entice communion.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a great question, and I enjoy answering it! The Livermore Valley is littered with amazing experiences and things to do.

Livermore Valley 5-day itinerary:

Day 1—We would start bright and early with a round of golf at Wente Vineyards. The Wente Family has been farming and producing wine in the Livermore Valley for 140 years now, and their property is a great way to get acclimated to the region. I am no golfer, but my buddies enjoy it, and I am decent enough to hack along and have a good time in the beautiful wine country in South Livermore. After a round of golf, we would head back into town for an espresso & tonic at Story Coffee, followed by lunch at Son’s Of Liberty. We would head home after to relax and rest up before indulging in an epic taco night using my spices while drinking local beer and wine.

Day 2—Knowing my friends, we likely would have stayed up way too late playing card games and laughing around a fire. So I would let them sleep in and head back to Story Coffee for a round of coffee for the crew and breakfast sandwiches from our local Wingen Bakery. This would give us the morning to shake off any of last night’s fog before preparing to head back out to wine country for a couple of wine tastings. The valley is home to over 30 independently owned producers, giving us many options to choose from, but a few standouts for me are McGrail Vineyards, Steven Kent Winery, Darcie Kent Vineyards ( also home to CA’s first winery/dispensary), JMC Cellars, & 3 Steve’s to name a few. Most wineries will offer food of some sort, be it assorted meats and cheeses or food trucks to help hold us over until heading out to dinner. My wife and I will use any excuse to head over to Range Life for dinner. This is by far the most iconic restaurant in Livermore, where Sarah and Bill Niles are building their legacy as certified movers and shakers here in town. We would head here for dinner day 2 for a reservation at 7:30 and eat and drink until Sarah politely asked us to leave!

Day 3—It’s likely to be another somewhat foggy start to the day. I think my wife and I would spend the morning walking Sycamore Grove. Located at the eastern base of the Ohlone hillside, mornings here are brisk and mild, and on the best days, you can smell the ocean. This four-mile walk is a great way to get some exercise while also spending some intimate time with your loved ones. The trail is bike, dog, horse and family-friendly, making it a great place to spend a few hours while in town. After finishing up this breathtaking walk, we would swing back by the house, pack up our bags, and head out to the Purple Orchid. A family-owned B&B where we would spend the remainder of the day and night relaxing poolside or getting pampered by the various spa options. As we get older self-care is more important than ever, and being able to do it so close to home is a real treat. I think it also gives your friends a bit of freedom to roam and relax as they please as well.

Day 4 – Would likely be the last day of fun and before sending our friends off we would take them down the road to Pleasanton, CA another historic downtown on the western side of the Livermore Valley Wine Country. We would spend as much time as we had left between local shops, eateries, and certainly The Wine Steward for a bottle of something bubbly with Jim!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would have to say my wife, Erika Peterson. Over the past 14 years, she has really been my rock and biggest supporter. Although sometimes she can also be my biggest critic, I know that without her, I couldn’t do this. She plays a crucial role in keeping me grounded and has taught me that coming up for air is important, especially working in an industry that so commonly consumes those who participate.

Website: https://www.JTMInTheKitchen.com

Instagram: @JTM_InTheKitchen

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troupemasi/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThroughtheGrapevinePodcast925