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

Alright, Ruby thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Prior to entering the culinary world, I was in school to become a nurse. Unexpectedly and slowly I became interested in cooking (and dining out frequently). I would come home and recreate dishes from where I had recently dined. I was pretty good at it and my passion for food grew. Eventually, after some soul searching, I decided to put my nursing on hold and commit myself to the kitchen. I knew the restaurant industry was extremely challenging and the pay, at that time, not the best. I would be exchanging a nursing career that would provide stability and steady paycheck for one that was chaotic and not guaranteed. Also, it would be a career that would take time away from my daughter. I had to follow my passion. I enrolled in The French Culinary Institute, enrolled in their fast track curriculum and graduated 6 months later. From there jobs I was able to work at notable restaurants. It was challenging: physical, mental and financial. It was rewarding creatively and I met plenty of talented chefs that helped in my growth. All of this lead to me opening my own restaurant, Next Door Provisions, another big risk. But passion, grit and determination paid off. My business is relatively successful and I am my own boss, independent, the biggest reward. Lastly, I feel that I’ve become a role model for my daughter, intilling in her a determination to pursue her passion and happiness.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am the Executive Chef/Owner of Next Door Provisions, a chef driven, fine-fast casual BYOB restaurant in Jersey City’s West Side anchored by my passion for unique flavors using seasonal ingredients. We also cater to the community ranging from small birthdays to large format weddings. My entry to the culinary world began while dating my husband, a foodie. We would go to various types of restaurant in search of new flavors and experiences. This lit the flame, found myself cooking more at home, very frequently, trying to recreate dishes from the restaurants where we had eaten. I had the knack for it, and soon, found myself looking into culinary school. I landed at The French Culinary Institute, my home. I learned from many talented chefs and they encouraged and warned of the difficulties of the industry. I graduated with skills that I knew would allow me to excel. I work in many notable restaurants from Asian to Italian. I can cook outside my lane. This representative of my restaurant menu, it’s not defined by one type of food, it reaches across cultures. When explaining the printed menu, I tell our guests that it’s my work resume. I’m proud to know that when guests enters our restaurant they will be introduced to new flavors, made with care and passion. Our motto is “we invite you to take your next bite, Next Door.”

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Most of my culinary growth took place in “loud” kitchens where bullying and intimidation was the norm. The reasoning for this was that it created chefs who had thick skins and could perform under the most trying circumstances. I felt that, based on my experience and that of my colleagues, it created more resentment than good. It was a system that broke down individuals, created an unstable work environment where the mental health of chefs was sacrificed. Growth in this “loud” environment forced many to loose drive and devastated the created process. I learned that this system does little to nurture talent and build resilient, strong chefs. I understood that a little patience and Zen goes a long way in nurturing the growth of the next generation of chefs.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Our business was an “accidental” business as it was unplanned and spur of the moment. The owner of the space believed in our talent and work ethic. He made the terms of our lease attractive and fair, making the start-up cost attainable. We were able to secure capital through family members and personal savings. We had the option of partnerships/investors but we felt that having 100% ownership and control would give us peace of mind and creative freedom. Next Door Provisions recently celebrated its two year anniversary and we anticipate celebrating many more years to come.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nextdoorprovisions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/next_door_provisions/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nextdoorprovisions/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/next-door-provisions-jersey-city
• Other: https://www.opentable.com/r/next-door-provisions-jersey-city

Image Credits

Jason Ducusin, James Curtis