Our Background

Hi! My Name is Amil. Founder of "Mixed by Amil." I was raised in a West Indian household by my grandma and uncle, eating fresh produce that my uncle would harvest in my grandma's backyard. My uncle was the chef of the house and would cook with many spices, grains, vegetables & fruits. I was the kid that had no problem eating my veggies and loved fruits. My uncle didn't like me in the house so I was always in the backyard exploring nature. I had my first hospitality job at 16 and since 18 have experienced a lot in the food industry of Manhattan. I started at an upscale Cafe & Sandwich bistro and discovered my love for coffee. I went on to work at an upscale Italian Bakery then bounced around at several Cafes. Latte Art started to become popular and I easily learned the culture, as I found it a way to express Visual Art along with a great quality beverage. I picked up a second job in the afternoon at a Coffee Shop near Penn Station. They also had loose leaf tea. There I learned more of the benefits of REAL tea. Which I found quite astonishing just as much as coffee. The coffee shop also had different Gift Baskets to offer. You were able to choose from different coffee or tea basket arrangements. We'd assemble the basket and shrink wrap it and I found that pretty cool. I never really liked to stay put. I had worked at so many different Cafes and Bistros and discovered so many different kinds of foods, it was amazing and satisfied the foodie in me. Then one day I found an ad for an Asst Mgr at a brand new cafe in the Upper Eastside. When I went on the interview, the cafe was nothing more than just a counter with an espresso machine. It was transitioning from a Chinese antique store. I left my day Cafe job as an Asst Mgr and my evening Coffee Shop job to help the owner with the start up the new cafe. We gained a close bond over time and she started to put more trust in me and I started creating the menu for the cafe. I had free reign on what to order, flavors, ideas etc. I became the store manager for 7 years. Customers loved my consistency and quality of drinks. I then started to sell my own Home Made gift baskets at the cafe on 2017 and people really liked my Visual Art. I gave birth to my son in 2019. He had some respiratory issues and was rushed to the ER a few times along with having to go the ICU in his first years of life. I then started my research as I've never been big on man made medicine, even as a child. I Started cleaning my home more frequently and I did research on what I felt comfortable enough to make at home. I'm huge on simplicity. I began with air fresheners for my sons sake and started making home made air mist. As I'm making my baskets, people were inquiring if it were my product in the baskets. At the time it was not. Which inspired me to start my making my own Moisturizers, Lip Balms, Scrubs and beyond. As far as my Beverages; since working in hospitality, I've always had a love for Crafting a good quality drink along side my dinner. I love constructing balloon arches as its another way for me to express my Visual Art. OXOXO Peace & Blessings