We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jon Maley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
Our mission is simple. Utilize as much as possible. In the hospitality industry, there is a huge amount of waste. Wasted food, wasted money, wasted time. At ChūcH, we try to utilize every bit of product that we receive, and put it back on the plate using a variety of textures and techniques.
Jon, 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?
My name is Jon Maley and I have been working in the hospitality industry since I was 14 years old. From 5 diamond resorts, to working under Michelin starred Chefs, to private clubs and everything in between. I have seen some places succeed and others fail. I have been apart of success stories in kitchens, and also helped pack boxes and close doors. One thing I have learned is we must strive to be creative, innovative, and give the best of ourselves on every plate. ChūcH is a restaurant in the making, and as of now we do a variety of pop up events, mostly 7 course dinners that will open your mind to what’s new and entice every sense.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Life in the kitchen is not always as you see on the cooking network. It takes years to move up, and prove yourself. Its also a place where many addictions stem from. The long hours, the drive to be better, and the late nights catch up with most of us. We lean on substances to either escape the nightmare that was the last service, or in celebration. We are pulled towards the high of adrenaline that we feel on the line. I am one who became addicted at a young age, and that followed me into my career. I am also one of the few that put it all down, and came out a better Chef then ever before.
How did you build your audience on social media?
My business on social media was driven by success, and word of mouth. Back in the beginning I was very much into food competitions and contests. Those led to being sponsored on other pages and platforms . Nowadays its also about influencers. People who have a large following that will agree to post about you. For me personally, I just want to make sure whatever is portrayed about me is in the right light, by the right people. For me, it matters who influences me.
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https://www.instagram.com/hint.of.thought?igsh=MXAxeHlkc3RsYjk4cQ==