We were lucky to catch up with Jonathan Alexander recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jonathan , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

All of my family is from Louisiana. I grew up gleaning from different recipes taught to me by my family members. The fragrance that would come out of the kitchen, the red beans and rice, the gumbo that we were usually greeted with were like no other. Opelousas, Louisiana is where I was first inspired to make food

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

Alexander’s Cuisine

I am a creative from Fort Worth, Texas by way of Opelousas, Louisiana. Both towns play an intrical role in the cultivation and establishment of Alexander’s Cuisine, but especially Louisiana. My family is all from Louisiana, and during frequent trips there as a child I always had a curiosity about the amazing foods that would meet us at my grandparent’s house. As we pulled up to Peggy and Jackson Street in Opelousas the smell of food would greet us in the driveway and welcome us at the door. Gumbo, red beans and rice, boudin, sweet potato pie, dirty rice, smoked ribs, pecan candy, you name it. Along with my family, it was all there.
As a child, we typically did what children do. Play catch with the football, race up and down the street, play tag, pop fireworks, and take walks to Mr. Green’s candy store. Little did I know a seed of curiosity for the phenomenal food was planted deep in my soul. That seed layed dormant within me until the summer of 2019 when we started Alexander’s Cuisine.
Everything began by testing the market with my signature dish, the “Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo”. This cuisine is a flavorful pasta, packed with protein, and a Louisiana attitude. Faithfully waking up every Saturday morning at 4:30 am, I humbled myself and began packing and selling food out of my truck. I introduced my product to the community, and it was a hit. The demand went through the roof and I adjusted accordingly.
Presently I serve on Saturday mornings when not catering cuisines for events. To give people a variety of flavors and options, the menu changes weekly and has grown dramatically. My customers request the Louisiana Gumbo year around even though I prefer not to provide it in the warmer months. I use my creative genes daily and I’m always thinking of what I can offer to the public. Alexander’s Cuisine focuses on solving problems for other businesses and families. On Saturdays, many cannot leave their jobs to grab lunch, and if they do the person could potentially lose money or miss money. A parent that is running in between football, soccer practice, or dance recitals may not have time to cook lunch. I have a network of establishments that I provide my homecooked food to. It saves customers time, money, and gas, and offers the patron a better quality of food than your typical fast-food joint. While we do offer many comfort foods and desserts, we have calorie-conscious items as well. The “Strawberry Grilled Chicken Salad” is amazing, and easily ranks as one of our top sellers.
Alexander’s Cuisine doesn’t stop there, the food is simply the starting point. One thing that I am most proud of is the selfless attitude that the business runs off of. You see, none of what we do is about us. There is a philanthropic dynamic to this business. Alexander’s Cuisine “Gives kids a head start, with a warming heart”. The explanation behind the motto is as follows. Did you have fully paid tuition or a full ride to the college of your choice? I certainly didn’t. Every spring we host a scholarship contest in which we offer scholarships to high school seniors. The head start. Every winter, typically at Christmas, we accumulate blankets and coats to donate to the surrounding unhoused(homeless) communities. The warming heart. I have attached information if you would like to jump on the opportunity to make someone else’s life just as bright as yours. I hope and pray that your life is surrounded with protection and sound direction, and that your heart is filled with fruitfulness and usefulness. I am Jonathan Alexander, and this is Alexander’s Cuisine.
https://gofund.me/9cdd41be IG:@cuisinealexanders FB: Alexanders Cuisine

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Think and Grow Rich How to Sell Your Way Through Life

Both by Napoleon Hill

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What helped me to build a solid reputation within my market is my professionalism and sense of urgency. Even though I am in the humble beginning stages of my business, I have never used that as a justification to be less professional or give patrons subpar service. As a matter of fact I have earned many customers repeat service because of the way I present myself. On days of operation, you’ll always find me dressed in a neat black Alexander’s Cuisine uniform, hands washed and sanitized, clean shaven, with black latex gloves. That is the standard. In a post Covid-19 world many people respect and appreciate this, and have more comfort patronizing my business.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: cuisinealexanders
• Facebook: Alexanders Cuisine

Image Credits
Alphonse Bell IG: Alexander Belice photography (Only photo of table top of array of dishes)