Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kariyel Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kariyel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

My story is so different & I’m grateful for the opportunity to share it. I haven’t always had a passion for cooking it was a gift from God something I never knew I needed. I Got fired from the last job I ever worked at the end of 2019 I was in shambles but I knew I had to pick my head up & figure out what was next for me I was already a business owner selling exclusive & customized phone cases but I felt the need for something “NEW” the pandemic was right around the corner little did I know. I started selling plates in the middle of the pandemic selling out every single time so I knew if I could be successful & switch lanes of business in the middle of a WORLD WIDE crisis I could do anything I was providing food for people risking my well being going in &’out of grocery stores because I became so passionate about my new venture it took off right in front of my eyes I sold plates from 2020-2021 out of my house every week sometimes 2 times a week. My cousin and a former class mate took a chance on me by booking a catering with me I was selling plates but “Catering”? I was terrified but I had faith in myself & my skills & I know I had to start somewhere I did an amazing job on both of the jobs now we are in 2024 I became a 6 figure earning chef/caterer in 2023 with over 200+ catered events from 2021-2023 I’m excited for what this year is going to bring

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.

My Name is Kari Johnson I am a licensed & insured chef/caterer from St.Louis ,mo born and raised Im 28 years old . I got into my industry unexpectedly I didn’t go to school ,go to classes or courses I received no degrees to get into my field God gave me this talent & I do everything in my power to keep up with it & make a positive mark on the world with my professionalism, amazing customer service & Delicious food & eye catching setups . I cater weddings ,birthday parties , baby showers ,corporate events repasses ,private date nights etc. I can provide my clients with a seamless professional experience everytime they book with me or refer me to anybody I help my clients find venues ,event planners, bakers, photographers,videographers,Photo Booths etc any vendor they need I help ease their mind by helping them find any and everything they need for their parties to relieve them of any extra stress . I’m most proud that I have made it this far as a business owner cooking prepping grocery shopping setting up breaking down etc all by myself I’ve made it so easy for myself working smarter & not harder huge shoutout to my mom for always helping me serve at events ❤️ my goal this year is to do more luxury events & to become a traveling chef & reach as many people as I can all around the world I prepared meals for 4 celebrities Kash Doll , Desi Banks , Boston Richey and Skilla Baby last year I want my name to also grow more as a celebrity chef I’m putting the work behind my brand between marketing ,promoting and making a mark in my city I know I’ll reach the heights I plan to reach

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Posting at least 2-3 times a day making all my social media pages public for as much reach as possible running ads & the biggest one is “Word of mouth” as well as all of the potential clients at all the events I cater for

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

I believe people can feel my confidence through the phone whether it’s a social media post etc I promote my work because somebody is always watching I give my clients a sense of security letting them know they can trust me. Being a popular socialite helps a lot as well because im so well known it makes it easy to put trust in someone that a lot of people know.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kariskitchen.co
• Instagram: Kariskitchenandcatering
• Facebook: Karis kitchen and catering