Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Wachler.
Hi Ellen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story started by accident. It was the summer of 2020, my entire family was up north and I was looking for a unique and fun way to celebrate my parents’ milestone birthdays. Being covid, I knew going to a restaurant wasn’t an option. A Low Country Shrimp Boil seemed to be the perfect answer, the only problem was I had never done one. I scoured the internet, found a recipe, tweaked it, served it to my family to which my mom said “Ellen this is a business !”
We came up with a name, posted some photos on social media and the word got out and suddenly I was booking Shrimp Boils!
We just wrapped up our 6th season and I’m proud to say we did over 100 Shrimp Boils in the 2025 season!
Summer is a busy time in Northern Michigan, people have a houseful and want to spend more time having fun and less time worrying about what’s for dinner. This is where “Shrimply the Best Boil ” shines! With the exception of your tables and chairs we bring everything needed to prepare and serve your meal. We set your tables with disposable red checkered table clothes, brown paper runners, paper towel rolls, we provide seafood bibs, cutlery, and food trays. Because everything is disposable it makes clean up a breeze.
When your boil is ready we pour it out to a song of your choice, making it a fun, interactive way to feed your family and friends!
We’re prepared to serve anywhere from 12-200 people
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I learned early on that my customers wanted some options other than shrimp, We now offer snow crab claws, lobster tails and key lime pie. Two years ago I added grilled tenderloin steak tips, The steak pairs well with the seafood and because it’s cooked separately it’s been a great answer for anyone with an aversion to seafood. Aside from our herbed biscuits, our shrimp boils are gluten free, so we’ve been able to work around anyone with a gluten allergy.
We’re a small community, and one way to help promote each other is through a collaboration . Last year Sweetwater Floral, a local florist in Walloon Lake contacted me with the idea of adding centerpieces to our Shrimp Boil experience. I also had been wanting to add an appetizer item to our menu along with a homemade cocktail sauce and signature mustard sauce. I partnered with J Bird Provisions out of Charlevoix and we made that happen! Now, having the option to add fresh flowers, and dips along with chips and crackers to our shrimp boil makes our Shrimp Boil a full service experience
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Shrimply the Best Boil, LLC?
Shrimply the Best Boil is a low country shrimp boil company that focuses on keeping entertaining simple and enjoyable for the host and their guests. I specialize in customer service and make it a point to personally answer every phone call. We make entertaining a group stress free and simple, do all the work from setting your tables, preparing and serving an entertaining, interactive high energy delicious meal . We even capture the experience with photos and videos to relieve that part of stress of capturing special memories.
We grew slowly, one boil at a time, this allowed me to focus on our client’s experience and what we could do to make it better.
Our customers are the key to our growth. My husband, Glenn, nephew, Drake, his wife Cayden along with our hand selected staff all have the same end goal in common which is to give exceptional customer service while providing happy life long memories in Northern Michigan.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Stay organized and hire a staff that’s as passionate about your business as you are. Our season is busy, we have a lot of repeat customers and it’s not unusual for us to have multiple bookings in one evening. I am fortunate enough to have a staff that has the same passion as I do in creating a positive experience for everyone involved, including the host who gets to enjoy their dinner party stress free.
It’s very important to stay organized. We have our menus broken down so we know exactly what is needed each week and precisely when to add each ingredient to our delicious and unforgettable Shrimp Boils.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help and take some chances. We grew quickly, my husband, Glenn jumped in and has been instrumental both behind the scenes and in front of our customers which has all helped with the success of this business.
Pricing:
- 39.00 – 79.00 pp
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Shrimplythebestboil.com
- Instagram: Shrimply the Best Boil
- Facebook: Shrimply the Best Boil
- Other: https://Bookyourboil.com
