We recently connected with Jeri Miles and have shared our conversation below.
Jeri, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
To have a lasting affect on each client with impeccable service, quality cooking, and food made with love. We hope each client is left with an unforgettable dining experience.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Following her passion under the direction of her mother, Chef Miles decided to pursue a degree at Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta, Georgia. During this time, she also gained her accreditation as a Certified Chef with the American Culinary Federation. After completion of this culinary program, Chef Miles set her eyes on the food industry. From her humble beginnings as a Sous Chef all the way up to an Executive Chef, Chef Miles has focused on superior quality assurance, consistency, employee development, and most importantly quality food.
Under her leadership as Executive Chef at Cafe Intermezzo’s airport location, she displayed the ability to exceed both Managing Partners and customer’s expectations through increased revenue along with delicious customized recipes. Most recently in 2018, she lead her staff to win the “The Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson” annual concessionaire food tasting competition, was voted Best Food and Beverage Award for Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, and won Restaurant of the Month, January 2018 for the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.
These feats along with her dedication to carrying on her mother’s legacy motivated her to start her own catering company that will one day transform into a restaurant. To further enrich customer’s experience with Ella Amour & Co. Chef Jeri Miles decided to partner with her twin sister Chef Joi Miles to further the ambition of their mothers legacy. Together, they hope that Ella Amor & Co. has a lasting affect on each of their guests with impeccable service, quality cooking, and good food made with love.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
I was a full time chef for a restaurant in 2020 when the pandemic hit. With so many business closing down, employees being laid off. I had to maintain a steady income. I started running Ella Amour from my home. There were times times I would have 5 or 6 orders and there were times I would have 1 or no orders. I stayed positive and boosting marketing strategies for my catering company; which lead to a boost in support and more clientele. There was a surplus of orders for us to handle after running Ella Amour from my home. I decided to find a place for Ella Amour to operate from if I wanted to build a brand. I found J’s kitchen and built an incredible team along the way. Ella Amour operating out of J’s kitchen has opened so many doors for Ella Amour. Since re-locating Ella Amour shared its signature dishes for celebrities such as Kirk Franklin, Usher Raymond, Yolanda Adams, Babyface, Jermaine Dupri, and LA Reid to name a few. Hustling has made me realize that someone is always watching and rooting for you. Therefore being positive and consistent is the key.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
For Ella Amour is been to stay consistent and word of mouth. At Ella Amour we strive to have great service and quality menu items. We hope it leads to more support and our clientele continue to tell their friends and family about us.
Contact Info:
- Website: ellaamour.com
- Instagram: chefjerimiles & ellaamourco
- Facebook: Jeri Miles & EllaAmour&Co LLC
- Linkedin: Jeri Miles
Image Credits
Kareem Nesbitt and Jessica Lhamon