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

Hi Sasha, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope that my Legacy will be that I have empowered amazing female culinary professionals. That the women who are part of my company share their amazing talents with the world in a setting which allows them to experience more financial opportunity and flexibility in their schedules than the restaurant industry.

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 Began my journey at 14 waiting tables and washing dishes for a small mom and pop pizzaria. I continued working at various restaurants, and bakeries through my teen years and eventually attended Arizona Culinary Institute where I graduated in 2011. About a year after graduating I had an amazing opportunity presented to me! I was going to interview with a professional baseball player to become his private chef. I was extremely nervous and I didn’t have any previous sports nutrition knowledge but I knew I had to try anyway. After the first meeting the gentleman and his wife decided to bring me onboard for a trail. I ended up working with them for almost 3 years! In the subsequent years I spent time working with many athletes as I had now amassed a great deal of knowledge about sports nutrition. I also had opportunities to work for people with serious health conditions and restrictive diets. This was challenging but I was eager to learn more and help people heal by eating my food. Life has changed in many ways since those years and so to has my business. Through the pandemic I was providing meal delivery services and expanding into an ever growing market for in home dining experiences. Today Artisan Personal Chefs is a brand that provides a delicious meals and memorable experiences for clients throughout Arizona and supports the growth and development of female Culinary professionals!

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

When I began this line of work I was working with pro athletes some Very high profile clients. I was only 25 and I had an ego about my cooking and yet no real self esteem. I had gone through a lot to get to this point and I had to realize that my story and where I come from does matter. I had to realize that any ego I had about my food needed to be left in the restaurant kitchens, and that a more human approach was necessary for such an intimate position.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2017 I went through a divorce which was very difficult for me financially. At that time I decided to began working for Lyft and Uber because because I was now a single mother. My business was experiencing a low point and I was not able to make ends meet. I worked hard at Expanding my network soon I had enough income from my business I no longer needed to drive for Uber and Lyft. Little did I know that Covid and the shutdown was just around the corner. I had to massively pivot in 2020 just as I had really gotten my feet under me I had to essentially reinvent my business. Luckily I didn’t hesitate and immediately began a zero contact meal delivery program. This saved my business now we no longer offer meal delivery services however business continues to grow!

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.artisanpersonalchefs.com
• Instagram: Www.Instagram.com/Sasha_cooks_AZ