Today we’d like to introduce you to Christan Willis.
Christan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Looking back, it all started with an intense desire to create. At the age of four, I was making my own breakfast, jumping on the countertops to grab a bowl for my cereal. That leads to over 100 grilled cheese combinations during my middle school years and my dad as the ultimate taste tester. I was so intrigued with flavor profiles and using ingredients in their raw form to create memorable moments through food. I believe that having curiosity is still where my passion stems from today.
I started working in the restaurant industry when I was 17 years old as a hostess, from there I had several FOH (front of house) & BOH (back of the house) jobs in Atlanta. I’ve worked in almost every type of restaurant from fine dining to bars. Those were just jobs to pay for college I thought. I had no idea I was paving my way as an entrepreneur at the time, with all the late nights, customer service, inventory, food knowledge, and restaurant operation skills I was obtaining.
After graduating with my culinary degree in 2014 I got back into the kitchen for a few years, and shortly after, I decided the stress of the restaurant scene wasn’t for me. I then ventured to other options working for a personal chef service and I then found myself helping families, cooking my own food, talking with clients about food and I truly found my path and learning the business.
2016, I took a huge leap and quit my job at the personal chef service and started my own business. As a business owner and chef, I explored food media and competed on Food Network’s Cooks Vs. Cons appeared on WAGS Atlanta and recognized by Brides Magazine, & JEZEBEL Magazine. I’ve worked on several projects and charities giving back and teaching others about food, taught kitchen skills with a combination of heath and wellness.
My goal is simple, create good food to live by and share my knowledge along the way.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve had some really amazing moments on this journey so far and they have all come with great reward. However, I’ve also hit some hard bumps along the way. The hardest moment in my career was losing my dad in 2017, he was my voice of reason and I took a hard fall and felt like giving up on my business at times.
But now, my dad has become one of the reasons I will not give up. I’m still moving forward and the truth is I feel like every success story has some pain, doubt, failures, and risk involved at times. The key is to get up and keep pushing towards those dreams and with that comes the resilience to face the inevitable.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Chef Christan Willis – what should we know?
I’m a private chef here in the Atlanta area. I provide in-home services for family dinners, date nights, casual home entertaining to cooking classes and off-site cooking demos.
I take a lot of pride in my brand because it’s something I’ve worked 12 plus years for and to see it come to life through a business where I can create food and share it with people and different cultures is a rare but intriguing and growing concept within a rapidly growing and evolving city of Atlanta.
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
Challenges will always arise but with those challenges, there is room for growth and opportunities that can be shared in a positive light. I’m blessed to be living in an era where women empowerment is becoming such a moving platform for women to explore opportunities and make choices without judgment and create pathways for others such as mentorship, shared experiences, discussion panels that didn’t exist just a few years ago. Most importantly this is such an exciting time to make professional and financial goals a reality!
Pricing:
- Weekly Dinner Service starting from 250.00-400.00
- Dinner Parties – Customized price based on number of people and occasion
- Cooking Classes 150.00/ person
Contact Info:
- Website: chefchristanwillis.com
- Phone: (470) 377-2464
- Email: chefchristanwillis@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefchristanwillis/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefchristanwillis/
Image Credit:
Photographer: Andy Hu
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