Today we’d like to introduce you to Chef RJ.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve always had a love for cooking. I was in the kitchen with my late mother and granny at a very early age making brownies or shucking corn or anything I could get my hands on. By the time I got to college, I was the house everyone came to eat. I experimented with all kinds of cuisines and my friends were always impressed. A friend asked me to cater her baby shower and thats where I realized I had a talent for this AND I can make money from it!
From there, I left school and attended culinary school in New York. I worked in some of the top restaurants in NYC and Atlanta and slowly worked my way up to better positions. But I knew I wanted more, I wanted a legacy, I wanted to support my dream and not someone else’s. I wanted to make more relatable food. I developed the philosophy that food can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
So I started Catering By RJ LLC in 2009. Over the past ten years, then we have tackled hundreds of events from 4 to 400 guests. We have fed celebrities such as The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Tyler Perry and many more.
In 2013 I realized I wanted to provide access to healthier options to enrich people’s lives and help change the typical African American diet that is killing us. So I started my healthy meal prep service, Fit Gourmet Meals. Since its conception, we have produced over 50,000 healthy meals with a portion of those being donated to homeless and needy families to provide them with a better option. A better diet builds a better mind and better life.
Today we are looking forward to opening our first brick and mortar event space and cafe so look out for us in 2020/2021!
Great, 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 would say my hardest struggle was simply getting the credit I deserved. In the hyper masculine, aggressive, not so diverse culinary scene, it wasn’t always easy for a young, 5’6″, black, gay chef to be taken seriously. I oftentimes had to fight much harder than my counterparts to be heard and receive the recognition and rewards I deserved.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Catering By RJ / Fit Gourmet Meals – what should we know?
Catering By RJ LLC specializes in full-service event catering. Beyond obviously providing delicious cutting edge, from scratch culinary creations using high-quality ingredients, we also provide an “experience” for our clients through eye-catching tablescapes and decor inline with our client’s theme. We provide all this with white glove professional service that stands out from the rest. We strive for our clients to be “Wowed” every time, leaving them with lasting memories.
My other company, Fit Gourmet Meals, offers weekly, freshly prepared, healthy meals that you reheat and eat. Our meals are lower in calories and fat. We use only fresh, never frozen meats and veggies. Our seasoning blends and sauces are made from scratch so we control the sugar and salt content making them diabetic friendly and heart healthy. We also provide Vegan and Keto options. Our meals are designed to fit into many lifestyles, from the busy millennial who wants to stay out the drive-thru to the elderly person who may not be able to get into the kitchen but needs a better meal option. Its really about enriching people’s lives.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The qualities that contribute most to my success is my crazy attention to detail and perfectionism. It’s OCD. I can spot a hair from a mile away. I see everything and I can’t turn it off! And before anything goes out my door it needs my stamp of approval. These extra steps have insured consistency in my brand so our clients can rely on our services.
Additionally, my customer service is KEY to my success. I come from a customer service corporate background and also I was a fine dining server in college. I’m an expert at ensuring the client is happy no matter what and leaves with a lasting impression. I see a lot of entrepreneurs “putting their foot down” and having a very “I said what I said” attitude with people who could and will easily go spend their money somewhere else. I had to understand that my services are still a luxury. Everyone can’t afford a personal chef every week, so when they are willingly giving me thousands of dollars, I have to make sure the client and their guests are completely satisfied. In turn they will come back again and the other guests will turn into clients as well.
Pricing:
- Catering packages begin at $15 per person and up. We don’t have a set menu. Every event is different. Each client receives a consultation and a custom event proposal with a personalized menu and theme.
- Fit Gourmet Meals start at just $45 and all packages include FREE Delivery.
- Personal in-home chef services are available starting at $75 per hour. Clients can email us for more details.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.CateringbyRJ.com
- Phone: 678-885-7470
- Email: info@CateringByRJ.com
- Instagram: @itschefrj
- Facebook: facebook.com/CateringByRJ
- Other: IG @CateringByRJ IG @FitGourmetMeals
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
