We were lucky to catch up with Jonida Preka Morelli recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jonida Preka, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
I was born and raised in Communist Albania. I attended the conservatory of music and trained as a classical pianist. Raising a family with limited resources was certainly a challenge for my parents. I understand that even better now, as I am a parent myself. Practicing the piano for 9 hours a day while being groomed to represent a suppressive regime and watching my parents figure out how to raise a family, not only during communism but also during civil unrest, has definitely been the driving force behind my determination to succeed.
My parents and I moved to the United States in 1996 (I was a high school senior). To witness my parents in their 50s make this move solely to provide their children with a better chance at life is something for which I will be forever grateful. Seeing them at their age take on various jobs, often working 2-3 jobs, including restaurant work on the weekends, instilled a strong drive within me. I learned that you do what you have to do, not only to survive but to succeed.
I remember when we had just moved here, the three of us. A friend of my dad’s got us a job cleaning office buildings in downtown Cleveland at night. I would go to school during the day, practice the piano, and in the evening, my parents and I would take the bus downtown. I distinctly recall vacuuming the carpets in a high-rise office building alongside my mom and dad in their mid-50s. I stopped and thought to myself, ‘I will be the person working in those offices one day, and when I do, I will always acknowledge and thank the people who clean and recognize their hard work. It has never been just about succeeding but also about how to have grace, love, and care for everyone you meet on the path to success.
When I went to college, I pursued two majors, piano performance and international business, driven by the challenges I faced as an immigrant and by observing my parents constantly persevere through their own struggles. I wanted to ensure that I always had a backup plan and could land on my feet. It’s because of them and our move to the United States that I even have the opportunity to write this article. I will forever be grateful to my parents for prioritizing their children’s future and for making all the difficult choices they did.
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.
Business: Tricks in the Kitchen, offering low-effort, healthy, pantry-to-table recipes, and other ideas to simplify your time in the kitchen.
Mission: My mission is to simplify your culinary journey so you can spend less time working on a meal and more time enjoying it. Whether you struggle with dinner ideas, need help with healthy meal plans, seek personalized guidance, or are looking for other tricks to reduce your preparation time I am here for you.
What I Love About My Work: I take great joy in eating, as a good meal can completely shape the course of my day. When I can use ingredients from my fridge and pantry to craft a well-balanced meal, it fills me with a profound sense of achievement and contentment. I love sharing that with others.
Despite the limited availability of food growing up, I developed a strong passion for cooking at a young age, figuring out how to create tasty meals with whatever was available. When I came to the United States as an immigrant, financial resources were limited. I worked weekends in restaurants, always keeping an eye on the kitchen and what was being prepared.
In summer 2022, my oldest son and I began watching the MasterChef cooking competition show. In the midst of the first episode, he paused it and said, “Mom, you would be amazing on this show. I think you should apply.” A few weeks later, I was contacted by MasterChef and began a rigorous application process that lasted over 6 months. It was an honor getting picked out of thousands of contestants who apply for the show and making it through the competition to the top 10 for the Midwest region.
I represented myself, my brand, and my cooking by making homemade pasta with a homemade tomato sauce. To me it’s about creating simple, yet delicious and healthy meals to enjoy with your family.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
In the midst of redoing my kitchen, after 15 years of dreaming about turning my passion for food and cooking into a reality, I decided to start ‘Tricks in the Kitchen.’ It was when a friend walked into my ‘makeup’ kitchen and saw what I was serving for dinner that a light bulb turned on. Being able to prepare a full, healthy, and delicious meal with limited appliances and space made me realize that, yes, I do want to share this with others. I began sharing my simple recipes and the tricks in the kitchen to make cooking easier and less daunting
The path of social media has been challenging in the sense that it’s not only about cooking. It’s also about learning various technology and photo/video skills, which I had not anticipated. I have even relied on my children to teach me various app uses. This has not only been a way to connect with my kids but also to rely on their teaching, which has given them pride, knowing that parents don’t know everything and that there are times when we learn from one another.
My advice to others: don’t stop. This is not a race to gain the most followers. It’s about being authentic with a clear message for your followers. It’s about people connecting with you and your message, and, most of all, being real! Be yourself. There’s a reason why people hit the ‘Follow’ button, and that’s because they want to hear more of what you have to say.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
On April 9, 2021, I made my first post on Tricks in the Kitchen. I had talked and thought about turning this dream of mine into reality for over 15 years. Taking that leap of faith and making that first post was liberating. It was me opening that door, taking that first step, and following the path I had dreamt of for so long. I had to take that first step, even though I had no idea about how and what to do along the way. I knew there would be hurdles, and at times, I would jump over them, and at other times, I would walk around them because that was the best I could do. It’s about having determination and learning from every time I fell down. Those lessons helped me figure out how to take each fall and reduce the pain the next time.
I set realistic goals for myself, knowing that I would commit to my business and make it a priority. This was not just one post on a social media platform; it was an idea and dream I had nurtured for so many years. Now, I was ready and able to devote all my time and effort to it.
As 2023 comes to an end, my work and efforts are paying off. This has become exactly what I wanted it to be, and I am giving it my all to turn it into precisely what I have longed for, which is your go-to place for simple, delicious, healthy meal ideas
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tricksinthekitchen?igshid=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066491214417&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TricksintheKitchen?si=8CTpgy0kSYLAmZOV
Image Credits
The pictures from show (master chef) are credit to @masterchef and @fox The pictures in my kitchen credit to: Little Boo Phography