We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natasha Ellington a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Natasha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

My very first catering endeavor took place in 2012 and I had a partner at the time. She and I were fed up with our current place of employment and wanted to work for ourselves. We saw a blue beetle vehicle for the first time and I thought it would be cute to have a ladybug catering van. So we named our first company ‘Catering Bug’ and the van would be affectionately named the catering buggy! Never once thinking about the negative association between bugs and food! Needless to say that business was short lived.

Fast forward to 2016 and somehow I had put myself in the same position with a different company, feeling overworked, underpaid and unappreciated. I was sitting in my car decompressing after a long day at work. I was missing my Grandmother who was a huge reason as to why I love to do what I do. I was praying, asking for clear guidance for my next move. Then the name Cafe Jo’el appeared in my mind. Jo’el was my grandmothers name (Joela) after days of mulling over, I felt more absolute about this business name. I registered it that same week. I created my logo, business cards and website. Cafe Jo’el is the single most beautiful thing I’ve ever done for myself, my family and my legacy.

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

I was always an introverted and super shy girl. Most would say I was a book worm in my earlier years. But after a couple of years of being bullied at Lincoln Prep, I spent my remaining teenage years being rebellious. I had never really thought about what college I was going to or what I wanted my career to be. I decided to become a Chef shortly after my senior art show at Paseo High school.. But I did know that I loved to cook and for people to eat my food. I decided, with mentor encouragement, to enroll for the JCCC culinary program that fall and spent my internship at Blue Hills Country Club. Very early into the program I recognized that I was in a space that hadn’t traditionally seen people like me. I understood that I would have to work twice as hard to be seen a good enough. I moved on from the country club to the Clarion Hotel where I worked 5am in their breakfast restaurant solo, then to their lunch restaurant and then leaving there to work my night job at The Hotel Phillips. I worked my way up to kitchen manager in 6 months. From there I was hired to be Kitchen Manager at Figlios Italian restaurant and in a year I became sous chef and in two years executive chef. Later I would go on to open the Corner Restaurant. Then Jax fish house, The Monarch Bar, Karbón, the Argosy Casino and Thelmas Kitchen absorbing all the knowledge, skills, tools and methods I could. I hold my self to a higher work ethic than most. I apply this same hardwork and dedication to Cafe Jo’el. If I can spend almost two decades of my life busting my behind for other companies and corporations helping them get rich, I can apply that same energy for my self.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

While I was the executive chef at Figlios I was pregnant with my third child. My husband ran for special election and won, which meant he would live in Jefferson City for six months out of the year. Which in turn meant that we would need child care for our kids, whom at the time would have all been under two. So we decided I would leave my position there and become a stay at home mom and would continue my first catering company. Unfortunately catering was not moving as consistently as I though it would. I would get one gig and then nothing for months- I still think it was the name, lol. This was very difficult for me because I had worked since the age of fifteen and often times two or more jobs at once. I loved spending time with my babies but I have always been the job. This was my new normal until all the children were school age. I felt I had lost my identity, my confidence and my connection to my craft. I tried to go back to being an executive chef but it was too demanding of my time. So I started back small, working prep cook positions part-time. Starting back to the beginning at Thirty -four was depressing and frightening mostly because the industry can be very ageist especially towards women. I felt like I was running out of time and missed my peaking point. After couple more years of bouncing around from several part time prep cook gigs my husband, gratefully, ran for office locally and won. I was finally able to get back in the game full throttle. But then two years in and Covid hit. That truly made things so much clearer for me. All those years working but nothing to show for it. My industry suffered greatly. I had to really put my business on the front burner again not just for me but for my kids too. That when I started Cafe Jo’el “Stay at home boxes lunches” for virtual kids and remote employees, during the pandemic. This began momentum for my business. In a way the pandemic was what helped propel Cafe Jo’el forward.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I know this isn’t probably the most professional business move but all of my clients have my personal number. They text me when they need a private chef or caterer often. I believe that clients are more inclined to repeat business with you when they trust that you have their best interests at heart. When you are reliable and give consistent quality, clients will refer you to their friends and family too. Word of mouth is a small business owners best friend. If I have pop ups or supper clubs they get priority knowledge of such. Whether it’s by phone, email or social media my loyal clients gets notified.

Contact Info:

• Website: Cafejoelkc.com
• Instagram: Chef_Natasha_Ellington
• Facebook: @cafejoelkc
• Other: linktr.ee\the_natasha_ellington

Image Credits
Porsche Cain owner of Caintography