We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Ward. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.

Alright, Jennifer thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

No, I would not go back and change a thing. I wouldn’t be who I am today if I didn’t experience the things I did that led to this point in my life/career.

After High School and before going to culinary school, I actually went straight to the workforce to try other things before picking this career path. I wasn’t sure that being a chef for a career was what I really wanted to do (and if we’re being truthful, it was huge a lack of confidence myself). I held all sorts of odd jobs, but always found my peace in the kitchen. I knew I loved to cook, I just wasn’t sure that it was a lifetime thing I wanted to do. I finally caved in an went to culinary school when I just couldn’t find that “right fit”.

Stepping into the role of being a Chef plus Entrepreneur was the same thing,It took some major life events to really make me wake up and tell myself to stop letting my confidence and my insecurities get in the way and just take that step. I spent so many years learning all I could so that one day I could be my own person; following that dream of being your own boss and having those big responsibilities that come with being an entrepreneur. I was getting all the information I needed to make the transition, but that list of “what if’s” were always at the back of my head. What if..I failed at making it grow…failed my family with a loss of finances (It was all us investing in my harebrained idea, there were no investors). Again, it came down to my lack of confidence in myself and my own abilities to do this.

There is not a single thing in this journey I would change though. I believe that the path I took is what I was meant to take. I can’t imagine what starting sooner or later would do, because I’m happy with where I am. And that’s all that matters to me.

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

Family, Friends, Food, Fun. The four “F’s” of Harvest to Home. It’s the foundation of the business and the brand.

Many years of being surrounded by family for all of life’s celebrations, with amazing food coming from the kitchen; but wanting everyone to be present in the same spot and not slaving over a stove missing out on some of the guests present is what inspired this business. Entertaining made easy for all involved, as life is way to short to not be fully present in the moment.

I’ve been a chef for over 20 years now, and the proud owner of Harvest to Home Personal Chef Services for over three. We make entertaining easy by taking the guess work out of cooking for groups and allowing you to fully enjoy your time while together. There’s no worry about who’s cleaning up at the end of the festivities, as it’s all done for you before we leave. We take care of everything from helping plan the menu to the grocery shopping, preparation, service and clean up. From start to finish you have a one of a kind experience. We handle all of life’s moments of celebration, from elopements to micro-events of all different natures (weddings, private parties just because, birthdays, showers, anniversaries, vacationing in Colorado and want a new experience! etc.). We cater to them all.

We focus on high quality, local and sustainable ingredients, and if we can’t get it here in CO, we look to the US first then internationally. We take a limited number of events each year so that our clients get the best service possible. Our cuisine is comfort food with a twist. You won’t find any gastro molecular work here, you will find ingredients being used at their peak season for the best taste, You’ll find love and laughter on each plate and around your table.

We really want to take the stress out of planning a fun event for all your guests so you can just sit back and relax and enjoy your part to it’s fullest extent.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Buy local as much as you can! Colorado is an amazing place full of a lot of creative talent that fits in to any budget.

Share the amazing things you find with others! Even if you can’t get it yourself at the time, word of mouth is the best marketing anyone can receive! With so many social media platforms out there, it’s an easy thing to do.

When reaching out for services think about how you respond to people when your inquiries are returned to you.

Instead of saying “that’s too much (it’s too expensive)” or “I don’t see how that’s worth that” try saying “I’m sorry, that’s out of my price range for the time being. There is so much more than meets the eye in every creatives world. While you might not see the worth behind what a person is asking, someone else will. Be kind and respectful to the person you turn down, don’t insult them.

Many creatives teach about their crafts, learn the process through them so you can gain a better understanding of why they put the value on their work like they do.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Becoming a chef was so much more than just cutting up a bunch of ingredients and throwing it all in a pot and hoping for the best.

You start with the basics like knife cuts, preparation techniques, basic recipes that you build off of to make the finished masterpieces. It’s history, it’s math, it’s science, it’s art. It’s the understanding that if you don’t follow the proper steps you can seriously make someone sick or even kill them. It’s the discovery of new things and the adaptation of old to new techniques.

It’s not something that is mastered after three years of schooling. Being a professional chef is a constant learning process. No one person in this world knows everything this is to know about cooking. And if they say they do, they’re not trying hard enough. I learn something new everyday from those around me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hthpersonalchef.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/harvestthomepcs
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/harvesttohomepcs

Image Credits
Carissa Marie Photography Saveland Events Lizzie Tilles Photography Picking Daisies Photography