We recently connected with Angelica Sammons and have shared our conversation below.

Angelica , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I can honestly say, being a business owner is both a blessing and less than ideal. It comes with both pros and cons. The last time I considered entering the world as an employee working for someone else, was a very tumultuous time in my life. Some major life changes had taken place. A major housefire decimated my life. It took a toll on my family. Seemed more than i could handle alone with multiple businesses running, and 4 kids at home. I scaled back closing one location to go home for a mental health break. Spent the summer with my family.
I was trying to figure out where to go from there. Do I focus on my passion, or stability for my family?
I made my first resume in 15 years. While it’s impressive, it didn’t feel right.
As I was about to sell out to a corporate job, punching a clock, and falling into line, an opportunity arose. They made me an offer i couldn’t refuse. I got both, my passion, the stability, and a new project to focus on. Technically, I work for someone else while simultaneously operating my own businesses also. I have creative control, my own business model and ideas. While they handle the added stress that comes with opening a business.
I’m very happy with my decision, it did feel right! Im excited about the future with Lip Smackers Food Truck, have wheels will travel. I’m a private chef in a full kitchen on wheels. I can curate menus to suit each event and customize the experience to the needs of our clients. Can’t beat that!! Flexibility and freedom.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have been in the food service industry in every position from bus girl to owner/chef of my own places over the last 2 decades or so. I started at a asian buffet, spent 7 years as an apprentice pastry chef, I’ve been a server, and cook. I started a business of my own nearly a decade ago. A frozen meal service called Freezerlicious, I spun off that into a small diner, called The Hidden Gem Diner. It is still operating 8 years later. I eventually expanded into a crepe shop that has since closed. I am currently the proprietor of a food truck called Lip Smackers Burgers and BBQ. While the name suggests just that, we do not adhere to the named structure. I am a private chef on wheels now. I enjoy the different challenges that come with special requests, and a different locale every time. It is an amazing opportunity to be able to take my skillset on the road. I custom curate menus to suit each individual booking. I am most proud of the reputation I have garnered as a chef/owner. I’ve overcome some serious obstacles, I’ve been on the precipice of failure (COVID) and managed to keep my head above water under extreme duress. This job is not for the faint of heart, as the owner, you take on so many challenges. Sometimes it seems like a constant barrage. However, when you rise above those setbacks, you have the experience and lessons learned to make the next run seem less daunting. Been there, done that.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Covid….when the world stopped so did the restaurant business. Since all my eggs were in that one basket I had to make it work. Prior to opening and moving The Hidden Gem to its new location, I’d had that frozen meal service. I resurrected that as a means of making and providing meals for families that were still affordable and convenient without having to come into contact personally with our customers. I laid off most of my staff, spent 10 hrs. a day prepping the meals for delivery keeping our range fairly local. Made just enough to keep the lights on and stay in business. After a few months they lightened up their restrictions, we added in a curbside menu and started the uptick back to a steady business flow. Even now, The Hidden Gem hasn’t reached its former status quo but it is stable and steady and I truly thank god for my loyal customers and the fact that we survived unlike a lot of my colleagues. That was heartbreaking.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

Ironically, I just recently took on my first business partner. I shy away from investors as I like to have creative control over my own domain. However, these lovely people made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I have creative control and the ability to flex my culinary expertise in the most well equipped food truck i’ve ever seen. I get the honor of being its proprietor. Lip Smackers food truck is stocked with locally raised Wagyu beef from Stofa Rosa Ranch here in Willis Texas. They sell their product via Hidden Forest Direct Beef. So my job is essentially create anything and everything I want using the best home grown product I can get my hands on! I’ve adapted a couple of my own signature recipes to include that beef, and while I honestly didn’t think my chili could get any better….it did!! After a tumultuous couple years in my life, it is really nice to be able to just be the wizard behind the curtain creating the magic. They handle the business end and I get to do what really brings me joy. Cook.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: lipsmackersft thehiddengemdiner
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/lipsmackersft www.facebook.com/thehiddengemdiner