Rising Stars: Meet Marcus Givens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Givens.

Greetings! My name is Marcus Givens, but most know me as Marcus Jerome aka The Food Prince. I am a Private Chef here in Atlanta! I travel to client homes, host events, and have traveled many places doing what I love. I come from the small town of Dublin, GA. I enjoy music, traveling, cooking, dancing, spending time with friends, coaching, mentoring, and making others smile. I am an engineer by profession -meaning I went off to study engineering, received a degree in it, and work by day as a Civil Engineer – but a plethora of other talents revolve around my character. I love to be around positive vibes and create lasting relationships. I legit never burn bridges. I make those connections so others who come behind me will have the opportunity for a better future. Oh yea, I survived heart disease! I would cook to relieve stress from the pressures of school on top of battling heart disease. I remember cooking in my college apartment and having friends and other students come over for a homecooked meal. It wasn’t until after I graduated and entered the real world that I decided to bring cooking a little higher on my list of things to do. I truly enjoy spreading joy through food, faith, a smile, and an overall experience.

The journey has been far from smooth. There have been many sleepless nights and self-doubts that have gotten in the way. When you are trying to fund your dreams, pay medical bills, student loans, make room so that you can at least have a meal… and still have to cover living expenses… it can really deter you from wanting to continue. I say often that I’ve had to “skip meals to pay bills” and that can still be true today. People see where you are and they do not want to truly understand what it took to get there. I was on an “exposure” tour when I first moved here. That simply means I was cooking everywhere and not making any profit. I was doing this to increase POTENTIAL clients. You must sacrifice in order to reach new levels. I know my time is coming.

What sets me apart from others is that I do a little bit of everything! I have spent years learning and developing skills in organization, planning, customer service, and an overall love for what I do! When you eat with me, you EXPERIENCE with me. From start to finish, I take care of the menu design, wine pairings, meal preparation, table setup, top-tier service, and even the occasional location design/setup. I understand what it’s like to be on the other side of the table and I give what I would want to experience if I were to go through this as a client. Having a well-rounded understanding of my talents really gives me an edge and propels my character.

Never give up on your dreams – whether big or small. It is not an easy journey. Take a moment in THIS moment to look back and see how far you’ve come. By doing this, you will realize that the journey ahead is much shorter and your dreams are much closer. It can be extremely overwhelming trying to look at the big picture. Break that picture up into a puzzle and focus on a piece at a time. Celebrate each completed piece. Before you know it, that overall picture will be complete. You just have to learn to pivot, reposition yourself, and resume.

Also, surround yourself with the right people. I could not have made it this far alone. My close friends and I look out for each other! Whenever I need to brainstorm, clear my head, an extra hand, or a shoulder to cry on, I know who I can call on. Weed out people who do not mean you any good, and surround yourself with the ones that are just as happy to see you elevate as you as you are when it’s their turn to win.