We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Curtis Hopkins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Curtis, thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

Beyond making amazing food for people to enjoy my prayer is that my legacy brings more families together & promote the unity of all people. I’d like to believe that through my catering & seasoning line that the good food provides a safe place for friends and family to gather to love on each other & spend time with one another.

Curtis, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi my name is Curtis Hopkins Jr but most people know me as “Chef Curt”. Cooking has been my life’s passion since I was 7 years old. I would try to have dinner on the table for my single mother after she got home from working all day to provide for me & my older sister.

Besides providing private chef services/catering for anywhere from 2-250 people I also produce a Salt-Free Seasoning Blend. My product solves two major problems in every household across the nation. Bland food & high blood pressure from excess sodium in most familiar household seasoning blends. With my blend of herbs & spices from around the world I provide all the flavor with none of the extra crap so no sugar, salt, msg or added preservatives. It’s also gluten free!

To be honest I’d have to say I’m most proud of my Seasoning Blend that I started about a year ago which has already shipped in all 50 states in the United States & even internationally to a fan/follower in Germany. I look forward to expanding the business with more options that every household can benefit from.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I’d say consistency helped me build my current reputation within my market.

Consistency in flavor & visual quality. A lot of chefs/restaurants make great dishes but fail to recreate the same taste when customers come back which is always a hit to the consumers confidence in the company. Also when you promote a picture of a dish on social media or on a menu & it’s different from what is presented when they receive the plate there is also a negative reaction.

Consistency posting or marketing your product or service. When your are consistent about putting your product/service in front of people faces it becomes that much easier for them to remember you when the time comes time for them to need exactly what it is that you offer. Whether you post once a day, 3 times a day or 3 times a week just make sure you’re consistent.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

It’s not about you. As a good leader you must always take the uncomfortable seat in order to make sure your team has every tool needed to be success. This may look like you working the morning shift nobody wants to work or doing the tough task not to baby them but to lead by example showing them that if you can do it they can too.

I also feel as though most people in the management position forget to actually listen to their staff. Whether it’s work related or not I keep an open door policy so that my staff is always comfortable talking to me. If they’re struggling with a problem at home or at work it will affect their productivity so make sure you check on your staff as much as possible while still remaining professional.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cookingwithchefcurt.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefcurt100/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChefCurt100
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-hopkins-042655202/

Image Credits
I take all my photos :)