We recently connected with Jami Pham and have shared our conversation below.

Jami, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk about innovation. What’s the most innovative thing you’ve done in your career?

The most innovative thing I have done in my career is to start creating experiences in my events as opposed to just being a caterer. When I began cooking, I approached it as anyone would with a caterer’s perspective meaning very cold and calculated. I noticed when I dropped off food I no longer had control of the experience and that is where I shine. I started to get requests to stay on site and build displays. The feedback and how I felt about my work made me realize when I’m on site at an event, that is where the magic happened. I revamped my entire business and no longer showed up as a caterer but as a personal chef. I cook fresh on location to create an incredible aroma. I handle all the cooking, clean up, and service during event. My team makes your guests feel like they do not have to worry about a thing and always feel nourished. The host gets to spend time with their guests while I spoil them. It’s a restaurant experience brought to you!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Jami, owner and lead chef of Phamily Eats. I’ve never felt out of place in the kitchen and have passionately pursued any opportunity to cook or host an incredible meal. As a self taught chef, I believe food is more than just putting things together on a plate. It’s nourishment, self-care, connection, and a full on experience that we all deserve. I love taking a vision and making it reality for my clients. I deliver a complete culinary solution to your home or event, not just food!

I provide the luxury of a restaurant in your own home. Whether you’re too busy to cook during the week, you have an event that you’d like to bring a different experience to, or your traveling and want a chef on site. Phamily Eats can provide a full culinary solution during your celebration!

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I started this business with no capital whatsoever. All I had was passion and an incredibly supportive community, I invested in business coaching to help keep myself accountable and learned along the way that action is all that is needed. Every event or sale, I’ve learned something new from. I designed my business in a way to take contracts and deposits and pay myself along the way. The biggest lesson I’ve learned in business is to pay myself first. Even if it is a small amount. Something about the action of consistently paying yourself strengthens the mindset and energy around money. The action creates a habit and it slowly grows.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’ve always been a chef at heart and food will always be the heart of my business, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t tried it a hundred different ways. Sometimes offers or ideas fall through, they don’t work, they are not in alignment, whatever the case not every idea gets to become a reality. That is a tough pill to swallow sometimes as a business owner but it is fact. One of my hardest “projects” to let go of (or at least set aside for now) was starting a food truck. I left my job to do it and tested it for 6 months. It never took off the way I needed it to and I had to have a hard conversation with myself. I knew I wasn’t able to sustain it alone and I was out of savings to front load help. It was too risky of a business in that season of my life. I shifted into personal chef model after that and have been more successful. It may not always be the case, but for now, this is what is working for me. One day, I’ll have spent more time being a business owner and a professional chef and I’ll be able to own a food truck. For now, I show up in spaces I know I can shine and am grateful for that option in my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.phamilyeats.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phamilyeatscbus/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phamilyeats

Image Credits
Em Christine Photos