Today we’d like to introduce you to TaNisha Gates Harris.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Currently, I’m a mother of three amazing kids. I sit on the South Cobb Council PTA Board as Co-President and last night was voted President for the 2021-2022 school year. I work part-time as a floral assistant with Tony Brewer and Company and Flower_Boy (The Centerpiece). I’m the proud owner and Chef at Delightful Catering by TaNisha. By day I work in federal recruiting as a Staffing Coordinator currently with CDC tasked with COVID response. But just one year ago, I was laid off from the same job that relocated my family to Atlanta from Inglewood, Ca just two years prior.
I started DCbyT officially in August of 2020 during COVID crazy, huh!? But since coming into my adulthood, I have always been the one in the kitchen or asked to prepare a meal or dessert for a friend or party. One night while sitting at the dinner table after losing the position (on March 19, 2020) that brought my family to Atlanta in 2018, my middle child Caitlynn was eating and she looked at me and said, “Mom, you should get paid for your food.” I looked at her and said, really, you think so? I thought well out of the mouths of babes. I mean I had no job and was just working out and losing weight, trying to figure out what I would do until I landed something. Funny a PTA board member I had befriended Sharon called after I had posting my thoughts on starting a business and asked would I cater her sister’s wedding. Of course, they were vetting chefs in the city so I needed to put together a proposal. That’s when all that money I spent on degrees LOL went to work. I researched as much as I could on the business side, got my insurance, EIN, and started working on a business plan. Fast forward just seven months later I’m rated a Top Chef on national sourcing application online. I’ve had repeat clients.
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 wouldn’t say a smooth road, but a blessed and favored one. I have no culinary education background. So I research food. I have for years loved Food Networks cooking and game shows. I would try things on my family and friends. My struggle was presentation of those items. Then another PTA mom from California sent me a book on presentation after yet another post on my thoughts. I must say that Elohim, the fates, or that angel (whatever you want to call it) have blessed with access and favor to open doors all throughout my life. From my time in the entertainment industry as a junior record executive to my time as a Skilled Nursing Assistant Administrator, I have been able to glean from some of the industries best and brightest and shine just like them. Even now, I have met some incredible Chefs like local Chef Willie Wallace who will respond to an IG message like he has known me for years and I’m just asking him for direction.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am most proud of the fact I can do this with my children, Cameron, Caitlynn, and Christian Axel. My eldest daughter Cameron works with me on gigs. She calms me when I see things not going as planned in the kitchen she just jumps right in. Caitlynn was the voice of God that got me moving. Our son Axel wow, he’s only six but he will carry some heavy stuff for me.
I believe and many clients have said the thing that sets me apart is the personal touches and the fact that you feel like you have known me for years. We must have a conversation before I even start to work on your menu. I go off the vibe and what you desire before considering taking on a client.
My go-to dishes are my Sugar Cookie Peach Cobbler (which I recently did with Henny for a gathering), Seafood Cajun Mac & Cheese, Fried Lobster Roll, and shoot all my vegan dishes. My gulten vegan-free dishes still feel like you are eating a “normal” meal. I like to fuse Southern and California Fusion Meal together. That’s my niche and I settled into it just fine.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t call it luck I call it Favor. From the time I was born, doors and opportunities to sit with and even lead those great men and women of the industries I decided to work in have always been mind-blowing. Even without degrees, I sat at the table and my voice and visions were heard. Trust and believe degrees open door too but in that space and time in my life, all I had was the gift of gab and knowledge from life to do what I needed to get done.
Contact Info:
- Email: delightfulcateringmarietta@gmail.com
- Website: www.delightfulcateringbytanisha.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delightfulcateringbytanisha
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/delightfulcateringmarietta
Image Credits
John Crooms Photography (headshots)
