We recently connected with Amara Enciso and have shared our conversation below.

Amara, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Amara Enciso, I was born and raised in San Diego and am the owner of BRAVA private chef company, I am based out of Juneau, AK and San Diego, CA. In addition to having my own business I am also partnered and am the executive chef at the award winning, The Jorgenson House, in Juneau, AK.

I started my culinary journey at Palomar College in San Marcos, CA. Before having formal training I was actively cooking and learning at home from my parents and family members. Old family recipes passed from one generation to the next is what sparked my interest in pursuing a culinary career.

Upon moving to Juneau, AK I worked for SALT restaurant as a chef de partie and eventually made my way through all of the stations and decided to start my own business. I offer private chef bookings in peoples homes and accommodate anywhere from two people to 150 guests. I strive to continuously give all of my clients the best possible experience and enjoy creating intricate menu’s based on the hyper seasonal offerings in Southeast Alaska.

My standards and extreme attention to detail make for a personalized experience for each guest that I serve which is unique in our town where we only have a handful of restaurants. I incorporate flavors and ingredients in my dishes which I try on my travels from around the world. I am most proud of the reciprocated respect within my team and their consistent support and countless hours they have dedicated to me over the years, they have been quintessential in the success my events.

I would like to continue to provide exceptional new and fun dishes to all of my potential clients and will do with the utmost professionalism and respect to not only them but to the ingredients I use.

Examples of my team and I’s work can be found via instagram: bravafood

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met one of the most impactful women of my life in Juneau, AK. Her name is Renda Heimbigner and is the proprietor and owner of The Jorgenson House in Juneau. I have learned to be a resilient and strong businesswoman. Her continuous support over the years has completely changed the course of my life.

I met her through a networking contact and she invited me to come and cook in her space and it has blossomed into the partnership we have today.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My consistent professional commitment to excellence in both my dishes as well as customer service have been key elements in the success of my business. Keeping regular contact with my clients across many social media streams and engaging them on a daily basis with posts has proven to help build my brand and has helped me secure events.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: bravafood