Phoebe and Ben Hollander
Casper Fermentables | Austin
NOVEMBER 2023
Originally from Washington D.C., Ben Hollander grew up geeking out about food with his chef mother, who owned a restaurant in Korea. While attending school at the University of Texas, Ben scored a job at Freedmen’s under Chef Evan LeRoy, and fell in love with being in the kitchen. After graduating, he decided to pursue a culinary career and joined the team at Launderette, before moving to Juniper. Armed with a biology degree, Ben was often put on fermentation-related projects, earning the nickname “Science Ben.” He eventually reconnected with LeRoy to open LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, where he would meet future business and life partner, Phoebe Hollander.
Phoebe started off bussing tables at Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza in St. Louis, Missouri, and went on to graduate from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. She joined the team at Ovenly in Brooklyn, then decided to pivot to the agricultural side of the industry. She joined the Edible Schoolyard Project and began leading farming classes, specializing in animal husbandry. Having grown up eating kosher, Phoebe was curious about butchery, and moved to Austin in 2017 to work at Salt & Time. She met LeRoy and worked alongside him before joining forces with Ben.
The duo, under the name Casper Fermentables, began selling their homemade vinegar, pickles, and kimchi at farmers markets, and missing the kombucha his mom used to make, Ben began making and selling his own. After building their customer base, they opened their brick-and-mortar in June 2022. Along with their established items, Phoebe and Ben expanded to include other fermentation-forward goods and pastries, in addition to more composed dishes and sandwiches that represent their Jewish and Korean backgrounds.
