Culinary Entrepreneur Elizabeth Chambers Breaks Down Her Entire Morning Routine

What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? A well-rounded morning routine sets the tone for the day and gets you prepped—both mentally and physically—before you dive into a packed schedule filled with emails, chores, happy hours, workouts, and more. Our series Morning Person profiles those who have mastered the art of the morning routine.

Tune in every week here and on our Instagram to learn exactly how the pros get it all done before the sun comes up, from their go-to breakfasts to their a.m. workouts.

As the founder and CEO of the award-winning Bird Bakery and a regular baking correspondent and personality on Today and The Food Network, Elizabeth Chambers is well on her way to building a culinary and lifestyle empire that's all her own.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Chambers and her two kids, Harper and Ford, have been living in Grand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands, where there are currently no active community COVID-19 cases. And if you think life on a tropical island is as picturesque as it sounds… well, it is. But don’t be fooled by the breezy depiction. Chambers remains as productive and attentive as ever, whether she’s running her businesses virtually or making school lunches for her kids (love notes included). She’s even managed to train for the Cayman Marathon in the last few months.

Keep reading to see how this culinary entrepreneur sets her day up for success.

6:30 A.M.

I set my alarm for 6:30 a.m. every weekday. Lately, I’ve been sleeping with my windows open, so morning sounds or cuddles from my children usually wake me up naturally at the same time every day, but I always set a music alarm as a backup.

When I wake up, the first thing I do (after checking my phone) is put on a robe and head straight for the kitchen for my morning kombucha. A robe and kombucha are two of my life necessities.

I’ve been drinking kombucha religiously from the time I was 19. For years, I brewed my own, but when a friend and fellow Los Angeles kombucha maker started one of the first kombucha companies, GT's, I left the brewing to him and have been drinking it since. Lemonade and Trilogy are my flavors, and I often add an orange slice and/or a few teaspoons of activated charcoal.

6:45 A.M.

I try to take 15 minutes of quiet each morning. It’s not exactly meditation and not intention setting per se, but it's basically grounding and time set aside to go through my to-do list for the day. This is preferably done with a view.

7 A.M.

Back to the kitchen, where I turn on the Today show to catch up on the news. This is when I'll start breakfast (whatever I make almost always includes Clarence Court Eggs, which are my absolute favorite) for the babes, finish their school lunches, and write little love notes on their napkins.

I fill and chill their water bottles, prep the majority of their lunches, and set the breakfast table the night before so there are fewer things to do because every minute in the morning counts.

7:15 A.M.

Rise and shine. I wake my kids, Harper and Ford, up, and we have breakfast and get dressed for school. While they’re eating, the robe is replaced with workout clothes, and I do my very quick morning makeup routine.

I can’t live without Clé de Peau concealer and foundation and use them every day. I apply both with what I call my Artis magic wand and a few other products for a five-minute morning glow.

8 A.M.

I help the kids with the finishing touches like teeth and hair brushing and getting their backpacks in order before we leave for school drop-off.

I’m very grateful that my children are in a physical school with no masks or social distancing at the moment, as we’re currently COVID expats in Grand Cayman. It’s an amazing school and feels like one big family.

8:30 A.M.

A quick stop at Water the Elephant for a coconut matcha latte. I don’t drink coffee and feel like I wake up already caffeinated, so matcha is the perfect mid-morning/pre-workout boost.

9 A.M.

Since quarantine began in March, I have been much more diligent about working out. I love to walk, but a few of my friends and I are currently training for the Cayman Marathon, which is insane because marathons have never been of interest to me. That said, it’s 2020, and anything can happen.

We work out three days a week with our trainer Jude Love, who we call Juicy Jude because we tend to focus on the booty, booty, booty.

10:30 A.M.

I run to Jessie's Juice Bar for a turmeric shot or two and a quick lunch to go. The wild salmon, arugula protein plate is my absolute favorite weekday lunch on the island, and it gets me through the day.

After lunch pickup, it’s home to change (from the waist up) for virtual meetings with my bakery teams. I’m thankful that Cayman doesn’t observe daylight savings time because it gives me the morning to take care of personal things before Texas and L.A. are waking up.

11 A.M.

Begin Zoom meetings and conference calls for the day!

Up next, How This Celebrity Hairstylist and Founder Adapted Her Routine During Quarantine