'Organic, fresh, local and made to order': When a personal trainer opens a cafe
An availability of extra space helped Calaya Nelson kickstart her own cafe.
Nelson also works as a personal trainer. Before the cafe took over the space, Nelson ran her fitness training in the building. She’s moved the fitness to a space in Waukesha and now splits her time between the two businesses, with the cafe closed on Mondays as that’s when she does personal training.
After a few years of running her own fitness business, Be Well Studios, she saw a need for better options in her area. In June 2022, she opened Bee Well Cafe, 100 Main St., Suite 1, Mukwonago, and put her vision into action in June 2022.
The downtown Mukwonago cafe features a bright space with tables and chairs Nelson refinished herself (check out the seats on the chairs, all have bee themes). Nelson features local honey for sale of course, along with tea, coffee and simple breakfast and lunch fare.
Signature smoothies and smoothie bowls are where she started. It’s all about healthier options and creating a space for community here.
When people started coming in and looking for more traditional breakfast items, she added things like breakfast sandwiches with sausage, egg, cheese. Still, chia puddings and smoothies are her base, and she makes them daily. Gluten-free muffins and other items are always available, too. Bee Well Cafe is open Tuesday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Working on an overall approach to healthier living, Nelson also tries to avoid single-use plastics and offers compostable plates and serving ware.
Getting rolling
I had this space and I thought, OK, maybe I’d sell smoothies. It snowballed into this cafe. It took about nine months. That's how I do things. Once I have a thought in my head I execute immediately.
Behind Bee Well
It's tough, but I thought if I'm going to do this I’m going to do it the right way. Everything is organic, fresh, local and made to order. I didn't want to take any shortcuts …
It was important to me to have no refined sugar. I know there are a lot of people with gluten intolerances, especially kids with gluten intolerance and a lot of kids with nut allergies. It is hard for a lot of people to go and pick anything they want on the menu. I really try.
What drives her
It is overall wellness. I was a very overweight myself, and I didn't know how to work out or eat healthy. I didn’t know anything and I went and got certified for fitness myself.
Looking online was so overwhelming. I wanted to help myself know the right way. I became a manager and personal trainer and fell in love with it. I opened my own gym about seven years ago. I’m closed here on Mondays and I'm at the gym on Mondays.
I’m a nutrition coach, certified in fitness nutrition. I make the soup and the chia puddings. I don't make the baked goods. I used to, but now I have a chef who makes the gluten-free baked goods. She is amazing.
What you won’t find
They won't find refined sugar here. It is not good for you. They won't find artificial sweeteners. A lot of people come in and ask for a lot of different lattes. We are not technically a coffee shop. My lattes are made with spices and natural sweeteners. Everything is organic as much as I possibly can. The meat is Boar’s Head.
Seasonal sustenance
I just try to go with the seasons basically. I had pumpkin spice lattes for fall, but with real pumpkin. I have grilled cheese and tomato soup as a special. When it is cold I try to have a lot of hot stuff. When it is warm outside people buy a lot of smoothies.
Breakfast by design
When I created my menu in the beginning, it was all smoothies and smoothie bowls. People would come in and ask if I had breakfast and see if I had eggs, sausage. I didn't. I decided to make breakfast sandwiches, because I don’t have an oven. I made the Bee Well, which is super clean. The Hamacado is ham and avocado, Swiss cheese, and a huge favorite here.
I found more bakery in Milwaukee, and I had to have gluten-free English muffins (from Mor). The chia puddings are delicious, chocolate and vanilla. I wanted grab and go items for people so they're not stopping at Kwik Trip or fast food. I have oat balls, maple cinnamon steel cut oats, that is a hearty breakfast or lunch. The baked goods are amazing. I make omega 3 nut butter bars for grab and go, plus I have fresh fruit, healthier snacks and keto snacks.
Her menu must have
Smoothie bowls. Here you have options of a drinkable smoothie and you have the smoothie bowls. They aren't really done around here much, not anywhere near Mukwonago really. They're kind of fun, a smoothie in a bowl with a bunch of toppings, fresh fruit, local honey. It is a full meal, and delicious.
Crafting her space
I like everything to be cute and cozy, and I’m crafty. I didn't want it to look like a dark coffee shop. I wanted kid friendly and family friendly, so I have books, games, puzzles. My murals feature bees. I had murals in my gym, so I had someone come and paint the bees. I did the honeycombs. I did the chairs myself. I like the vintage look. I got a bunch of older tables and painted them and redid the fabric on the chairs to make them all bee theme, or gnomes. I also love gnomes.
Drinks by design
I do have a clean, organic coffee, regular and decaf. Then I have specialty lattes, and the honey latte is the most popular with the local honey. I do have seasonal lattes, like a pumpkin spice that had actual pumpkin puree and cinnamon, not pumps of syrup. I do have mocha, matcha and chai lattes all the time. I have juice and Liquid Death water as well. The honey lattes are incredibly popular.
Compost crusade
Almost everything is compostable. The smoothie cups I couldn’t find (a compostable option for) those, but I didn’t want any plastic.
What she’s learned
It is interesting. People are open to eating different food. a lot of people come in here and they’ve never had some of the foods, like chia. They’re skeptical of the baked goods. How can they be delicious if they’re healthy? Yet they generally love it, and they’re open. That’s been fun.
Fork. Spoon. Life. explores the everyday relationship that local notables (within the food community and without) have with food. To suggest future personalities to profile, email psullivan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bee Well Cafe in Mukwonago: Personal trainer serves organic local food
