Nigel founded Coastal Goods after selling his first, innovatively successful spice company, Nantucket Offshore Seasonings, but retaining its popular tributary line of Sarah’s Sea Salts, named after his wife, cookbook author Sarah Leah Chase.
The Spicy Beginnings
From the get-go, Nigel and Sarah were determined that the momentum behind Coastal Goods emanate from focusing on what the pair had come to believe were the world’s two most important and beloved seasonings, namely salt and pepper! Nigel began importing fleur de sel from the South of France long before the exquisite finishing salt became a household word and recipe ingredient.
It was there that he also discovered the perfectly sized and crunchy sea salt that is used as a base in all of the regionally inspired Sarah’s Sea Salt blends, with the Mediterranean and Tuscan salts continuing to be two of Coastal Goods bestselling seasonings. Nigel’s passion for pepper is nothing to sneeze at and he recently returned from a grand adventure sourcing the ne plus ultra of organic, hand-harvested peppercorns cultivated next to a secret lake in the Kampot province of Cambodia. The Tuk Tuk travel and jet lag were worth it!
When not planning far-flung spice route excursions, Nigel concentrates on the day-to- day operations of Coastal Goods, plotting everything from innovative packaging and website design to dealing with pesky customs officials and the headaches inherent to ownership of a small business. He enjoys experimenting and cooking with his seasonings on a regular basis, especially Francis Mallmann-esque grilling extravaganzas and roasting in their home’s cavernous wood-fired terracotta oven, imported from Italy.
Sarah prides herself in being the company’s “Coastal Culinarian,” writing label copy for all of the Coastal Goods products and developing innovative recipes to feature on the company’s website and demonstrate in cooking classes she hosts nationwide. Sarah is the author of seven cookbooks. Her latest one, New England Open House, was published in June of 2015. She also is a freelance food writer and recipe consultant to Ina Garten.
Sarah and Nigel live on Cape Cod, where they delight in tending to gardening demands galore on their wooded property, feeding the birds along with a few other unwanted critters, and entertaining friends and family.
