Community Highlights: Meet Jeff Hamiltin of A Taste of Jazz Catering, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Hamiltin.

Hi Jeff, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
A Taste of Jazz Catering was inspired by my grandmother, Pearl “Pee Taa” Page .She worked as a maid for the Brennan family, who own Commander’s Palace, a five-star restaurant in New Orleans. She worked with them for over 25 years, and during that time Commander’s Palace became the home of some of the greatest chefs in the country — including Emeril Lagasse and the late, great Chef Paul Prudhomme. Watching her work so closely with that family and seeing how their lives were shaped by the restaurant business planted a seed in me at an early age.

At the same time, I was blessed to grow up with my mother, Alice Hamilton, who was also an incredible cook. She worked in a hospital for many years, but she always found joy in preparing good food for family and friends. Between my grandmother’s connection to New Orleans’ culinary history and my mother’s gift for cooking, my passion for food was born. That’s the heart of ATaste of Jazz Catering.

My wife and I have been cooking for years, and people always told us, “Your food is too good to stop.” That encouragement pushed us to fully commit to A Taste of Jazz Catering. In the beginning, we started cooking out of a tent. We didn’t have a restaurant space, so we went looking for a location — and we got turned down over and over again. Everybody kept telling us no. Honestly, after so many closed doors, we were ready to quit.

But right at that breaking point, an owner of a gas station gave us a chance. He told us we could come cook at his Chevron Circle K, and that opportunity changed everything. We cooked there for about a year — in the cold, in the rain, in tough conditions — but we stayed consistent. And from that gas station location, we connected with so many amazing clients. It opened doors we never expected: 94.5 Streetz Radio, Macy Department Stores, Steve Harvery Celebrity Golf Tournament, Steve and Majorie Harvey Boys Mentorship Program, 11 Alive News Cooking Segment, Sams Club, Invited to participate in local schools, Sheriff Department.

We are a well-known catering service proudly serving Atlanta and the surrounding areas. Our name is spreading quickly as more people discover the bold, authentic flavors of our New Orleans–inspired cuisine.

Our ultimate goal is to bring this unique taste to even more communities by launching our very own food truck. With it, we’ll travel across the state of Georgia, sharing the rich traditions and unforgettable flavors of New Orleans wherever we go.

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?
One of the biggest struggles we faced with A Taste of Jazz was gaining the support and trust of the community. That was the hardest part. People would see us out there every single day, yet still not trust us enough to support us. Even people who already knew us didn’t always show up for us. We had to keep pushing, fighting through the opposition and the challenges.

On top of that, we started cooking out of a tent in the elements. That came with its own battles—keeping the food at the right temperature, dealing with the wind, the rain, and still making sure everything stayed hot, fresh, and ready to serve.

But one of the toughest hurdles was getting all the paperwork in order—licenses, certifications, insurance. All of those things are required to run a business, but at the beginning, it felt like nobody was willing to guide us. Most of the time we heard, “No, you can’t do this. Stick to your day job. This isn’t something to pursue full-time.” And yet, all it took was that one person to believe in us, to give us that chance, when so many others said no.

Another major obstacle we faced was finding the funding to keep the business going. In the beginning, it was a real challenge just providing. When you first start out, you often have to take losses to build up your clientele. You’ve got to be willing to go through that stage—taking a loss until you start to at least break even, or eventually see a profit.

During that time, it’s all about consistency and drive. You have to continuously market your business—whether that’s sending out emails, passing out flyers, or just showing up day after day. You end up working your business around the clock, because if you’re not putting in the effort, no one else will.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about A Taste of Jazz Catering, LLC?
What separates A Taste of Jazz Catering from other companies is our freshness, our customer service, and our authenticity. We bring real, authentic New Orleans flavor wherever we go. But it’s not just about the food—it’s about the vibe. We bring the New Orleans atmosphere with us: the music, the beats, that carnival feeling, like you’re right there on Bourbon Street.

One of the things we’re most proud of is the reaction from our customers. Once people taste our food, we’ve had about a 96% acceptance rate—they love it. The only people who sometimes hesitate are those who can’t handle a lot of spice, because New Orleans food is known for bold spices and flavors. But we make sure our food isn’t too hot—it’s about depth of flavor, with the herbs and seasonings that make it unique. And we never serve food that’s old. Our food is always fresh—never 24 hours old.

We have created our own unique flavors such as our Mac and Cheese, Jambalaya and our Bayou Jerk Chicken that combine Carribean and Cajun Flavors.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
At Taste of Jazz Catering, success isn’t measured by the money we make—it’s measured by the smiles and satisfaction of our customers.
We believe in delivering the best product possible, paired with the highest level of customer service. When our customers are happy, everything else falls into place naturally.

To us, success means:

Meeting and exceeding customer expectations

Listening to what our customers want

Consistently going above and beyond

Satisfying our customers is not just a goal—it’s our definition of success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Atasteofjazzcatering.com
• Instagram: Atasteofjazzcateringllc
• Facebook: Atasteofjazzcateringllc

Image Credits
Warrenedwards_media
Weddingfilmpros
94.5 Steetz Radio
Steve and Majorie Harvey Foundation
Macys