One sweltering July afternoon, I answered a phone call from Chef Alain Helfrich. “I have an idea for an article,” he said. “You know Phil Abbott, right? People have to know about him. He probably won’t talk to you—but if I introduce you, he might.”
I had certainly heard of Phil—if you appreciate good restaurants, especially if you live in South Bend, you’ve likely experienced flavors from his company, Terra Spice. This premium spice company flies under the average consumer's radar yet has a long reputation among chefs of providing exclusive spices to world-class kitchens. Which is why it’s not surprising if you haven’t heard of them—the business is shrouded in secrecy. As it turns out, the world’s best chefs like to keep their suppliers and ingredients a mystery. Plus, Phil values his privacy. And so the fact that you’re reading this right now is a bit of a story in itself…
A month after the call from Chef Alain, I walked into Dainty Maid and spotted a tall, light-haired man in a blue t-shirt chatting with the barista. I anticipated he would be rough around the edges, dodgy, and maybe a bit full of himself—I was wrong. From our first meeting and throughout two years working together, Phil proved to be one of the most warm, generous, and passionate people in the industry.
The purpose of this meeting was to see if Phil would let me write an article about him. As we sat and sipped coffee, he told stories of his customers—chefs I’ve seen on TV, read books about. Everything he shared, however, was strictly off the record.
Before starting Terra Spice, Phil worked as a chef, too. He started cooking as a teenager, earning over ten years of experience before attending culinary school at New England Culinary Institute. He opened a winery kitchen at Ledson Castle Winery, worked as Chef Tourant at Mar-a-Lago Club, interned at Herbs Spices & More in Wisconsin, interned at Auberge du Soleil in Napa, and worked as Executive Sous Chef at Stella’s, which was named the best new restaurant in Sonoma Valley while Phil was there.
By 2000, Phil and his wife Lori were looking to move back to the midwest, closer to family, and The Summit Club, a private dinner club at the top of the Chase Tower here in South Bend, Indiana, was looking for a new executive chef. It was a good match, so the Abbotts packed up and moved.
It wasn’t long after accepting the job that Phil started to get ideas about forming a spice company. His schedule as a chef wasn’t ideal for family life, and more so, he was obsessed with spices. As a chef, sourcing high-end spices required a lot of time—something a chef doesn’t have—but to Phil, it was worth it. We like to say, “Beautiful food begins with the finest ingredients.”
So in 2001, he left the kitchen, resolved to bridge the gap between chefs and the premium spices needed to perfect their craft. And that’s what he’s been doing ever since.
About a month after our initial meeting, I drove out to Terra Spice for lunch and a tour of the warehouse with Chef Alain and a few others. My understanding was this was an interview for my article.
Just outside the city, we turned onto an unmarked drive, pulled up to a gate, and entered the code he had texted earlier that day. The gate slowly opened and we made our way through the beautiful wooded property to a state-of-the-art warehouse nestled in a clearing. Inside, we each signed non-disclosure agreements while Phil pulled espresso on his industrial machine—manual, of course. Then, the tour began.
Inside, it was obvious Terra Spice operates on another level. Phil’s meticulous attention to detail means everything in the warehouse was perfectly designed to optimize for the freshest spices. He described the state-of-the-art air filtration system and the allergen rooms with rigorous cleaning procedures. And, he pointed out the 360 windows at the top of the walls letting in natural light and providing a view of the trees and sky. “If we’re going to be in here working all day, I want to see the seasons change and the light move throughout the day.”
The space was filled with boxes labeled with their contents: sweet Hungarian paprika, white peppercorns, ground chipotle morita, and an entire aisle dedicated to Phil’s chef-crafted blends like Thai red curry powder, blood orange pepper, and smoked tomato seasoning.
As we continued the tour, Phil shared story after story of elite chefs, exotic spice growers, and his journey from chef to spice purveyor. After our tour, we walked out back to the trailer to enjoy a remarkable meal that Phil prepared. By the end it became clear: Phil didn’t care about exposure. He was just excited to cook for us. As we left, Phil said, “I don’t want you to write a story about me. I’d rather pay you to share our story with what you do best—design.”
I have worked as a designer for over a decade and a writer for the past two years, and no one, until that day, had denied press because they would rather pay me. I quickly learned Phil isn’t a typical business owner and Terra Spice isn’t a typical business.
So, for the last year and a half, we have been working together to design a brand that represents Terra Spice’s premium products, meticulous process, and commitment to gastronomy. We created a new logo and website, redesigned the retail and wholesale websites, designed new labels, and began sharing stories.
I earned much more than a paycheck working with Phil. Here are just a few of the many lessons about life and business that I’m carrying with me:
- Scaling is overrated. There is no amount of money worth giving up what you love to do.
- The industry will continuously shift, and we need to shift with it.
- Premium products (and services) cost premium prices—it is better to invest in quality than to settle for something subpar.
- There is no such thing as work/life balance when you’re doing your life’s work. Learn to integrate your life and work.
- The best things in life are meant to be shared. Wine glasses should be full. Guests should always leave with a box of spices, a deli container of chicken stock, or a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies.
- Focus on doing your best work. The right people will find you without gimmicks or the latest marketing trends.
- And finally, even on the busiest days, cooking a good meal and sharing it with others is our most important work.
It has been an honor to be a part of this new chapter for Terra Spice. Here’s to many more years of sharing beautiful food with the finest ingredients.
