We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natacha Gomez-Dupuy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Natacha , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
I am passionate about my culture, and I have been always curious about the origins of certain dishes and how to prove authenticity. My parents owned restaurants since my childhood and did a lot of local tourism with us later while doing research about Caribbean cuisine I embark on a journey to know all the departments of Haiti and to visit the countries that influence the cuisine we have today. With that knowledge. I started tweaking recipes using new techniques and creating new recipes my goal was to help Haiti become a culinary destination and Introduce Caribbean cooking that is very simple in fine dining while promoting local and seasonal ingredients and forgotten crops.
So my focus was on quality, Food, and drinks should be of the highest quality, and having a story behind each dish was a bonus for me, it was a way to create a connection with many and introduce the new Caribbean cuisine to the world and the way for me that was by offering catering service and guest chefs with extraordinary customer service.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I had a passion for cooking from a young age. My grandmother would make custom appliances for me, and she taught me about the different ingredients that go into a dish. I was a picky eater, so my family encouraged me to learn more about cooking by helping them in the kitchen. I learned to respect ingredients, cook with seasonal ingredients, and buy from local farmers.
When I opened my catering business, I had a strong foundation in local sourcing and working with excellent products. I created a label called 100% Lokal Movement, and I worked with various NGOs and governments to promote local food. I traveled my home country from north to south, visiting every corner and tasting the food. I researched and learned about our culinary heritageMy extensive knowledge of Haitian history and gastronomy helped me write my cookbook, Bak Fritay, which is all about the street food of Haiti. My goal was to showcase our cultural heritage, drawing on influences from all the countries that have shaped our Caribbean cuisine, with a focus on the Taino people, the first Natives of Hispaniola. I also extended my research to the American Indians.
I believe that we have a lot to learn and share with the world through our cuisine. From our painful past, we can use the influences that have shaped us to leave a better world than we inherited. Having an event catered by us ” Classy pairings by Natacga Gomez ” is a lesson in history with interesting flavors and a new approach to the future of Caribbean cuisine.
How’d you meet your business partner?
My daughter was 6 years old when she started to help me out at events, passing salads to 300 guests at a time with a big smile on her face.
In 2020, I lost a catering contract due to COVID. At the time, I didn’t realize that this would be the best thing that ever happened to me. COVID forced me to stay in the United States, where I decided to open my own catering business.
When we were quarantined at home, my daughter and I brainstormed ideas for the business. She had so many great ideas that I looked at her and said, “I think I’ve found the perfect business partner.”
We’re now a thriving catering business, and I couldn’t be more proud of my daughter for being such a big part of it.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Our reputation in catering is built on strong business ethics, high-quality food, and excellent customer service. We treat a small dinner of 2 with the same care as a 2000-guest event. We are reliable and professional, and we always have positive reviews.
Our clients love that we personalize their menus and sometimes even create new dishes. We stay up-to-date on trends and are well-known in our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.natachagomez.com
- Instagram: classy.pairings
- Facebook: Chef Natacha Goez
- Linkedin: Natacha Gomez
- Twitter: Chef N Gomez
- Youtube: Natacha Gomez
- Other: Threads Natacha Gomez Dupuy
Image Credits
Scoolinary and The Washington Post