We were lucky to catch up with Vince Dodson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Vince thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

I started my chef career here in the States working under European chefs for several years. After that I lived with a family as their private chef for over 3 years. After that employment I decided I wanted to bring my French and Italian cuisine fine dining experiences to the public in the comfort of their own homes. I researched other private chefs in the Charleston area to see what they offered. I knew that I wanted to raise the bar no matter what. I love history and I decided to incorporate history from the dishes I cooked into my menus. I share history about the chefs and individuals behind the scenes throughout our dinner service. Guests can learn about the first celebrity chef of France, for example, and where origins of the menu items come from. I create a custom menu for each dinner service taking into account guests requests and any food allergies. We communicate from the start about all the details involved with our guests. We finalize the menu and our sommelier pairs wines with the menu. We bring authentic cooking utensils and center pieces to display during our dinner service. We offer photography as an added bonus to the events so the guests have memories to look back on. I take great pride in the plates and presentation of the dishes that are served to our guests. Each time we have another dinner, I am always trying to add that extra “wow” factor and raise the bar. It is my goal every time.

Vince, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the owner of Historical Dining Personal Chef. I am a personal chef that specializes in historical French and Italian fine dining cuisine from the years 1500-1900’s. I have been in the greater Charleston area for over 7 years. I worked with European chefs in a 4-star restaurant at the start of my chef career where I learned more than I thought possible. Their training has made me who I am today. I was a personal chef for a private family for the next phase of my chef career. Then I decided I wanted to bring the fine dining personal chef experience into guests’ homes. I wanted to incorporate history into my dinner events. I do research for each dinner menu- whether it be history about the origin of vichyssoise or the early beginnings of a chef’s life story who created one of the original dishes I am preparing. I bring all of the China, glassware, silverware, and linen to our dinners. I love the white China that I use for my dishes as it provides such a clean slate for the food that I prepare. Every dish is painted differently so that no two are ever the same. I feel this keeps it interesting and is always a topic of conversation. I have such a passion for my craft and I am always trying to add unique details to each dish, whether it be the color, aroma, taste, or presentation. I am always trying to raise the bar for myself. I have one-of-a-kind pieces that I share the history about during dinners. I love interacting with the guests throughout dinner. Guests are welcomed into the kitchen to sample the dishes before dinner is served. The chef’s table at our events offers a special one on one with the guests and myself. You’ll even see me serving plates. I am so grateful for the following we have gathered and the word of mouth about our dinner experiences humbles me.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Over the past two years we have participated in the Summerville Farmers Market. We first met Steve Doniger from DREAM over two years ago and after hearing our story, he encouraged us to sign up as a vendor at the market. Even though our main focus is on historical French and Italian dinner events, we knew we had to gain momentum and pursue other avenues to gain clientele. We fell in love with the Summerville area and wanted to focus on the community here as well. It has been an unbelievable experience. At the market we serve traditional breakfast sandwiches and lunch items with rotating monthly flavors. One month our handmade crepes will have a topping of a brown sugar caramel sauce and the next month a raspberry cream sauce. We have repeat customers that sometimes do come very week to see us and by changing up the flavors of the food items we serve, they get to try something new. There are various sauces we prepare for the items at the farmers market and this past year we gave out samples of these. Someone who might not have cared for the taste of a red bell pepper tries it mixed with a sharp cheddar cheese and a new fan is created! We have partnered with local Bed and Breakfasts to present Mother’s Day events, holiday events, and our dinner events which we have incorporated live music using local musicians as well as art exhibits. We also partnered with a Summerville business for several months providing a Sunday brunch. We have expanded our clientele by offering different options when it comes to someone trying our food- from price to location. A customer may try our food at the market, or one of our community events, and inquire about our dinner service. From there it can be an easy sell once they’re had a taste of what we offer.
So we have found that broadening our base of food offerings helps spread the word of mouth about the business which we feel has been one of most effective marketing strategies.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Three years ago, we received a call from a distinguished family on Isle of Palms. Their original chef for Thanksgiving fell through, and this family was serving a Thanksgiving dinner for a large number of guests. We took on the task of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner which I have to admit wasn’t our regular cuisine. We worked with the host to create a menu that worked for her and her guests and also allowed me to put a bit of my own twist on things. The dinner was a success, and we were booked that Thanksgiving and every Thanksgiving thereafter with this family because of the experience they had. This Thanksgiving was the one right before COVID hit which affected many businesses. Ours was no exception. People were less likely to go out to eat and mingle with lots of people. People were more likely to eat at home, which sometimes worked in our favor. However, COVID was a trying time and due to the experience that this family had with us over the course of that first Thanksgiving, they hired us numerous times over the course of the next year for birthdays, anniversaries, and so forth. We became part of the family and still cook for them on a regular basis. We provided such a memorable experience for them, they hired us regularly during that next year which helped us stay above water. Through their word of mouth, we gained additional clients as well. We are forever grateful to them and those guests that hired us during that period of time.

Contact Info:

• Website: historicaldiningpersonalchef.com
• Instagram: @historicaldining
• Facebook: Historical Dining
• Linkedin: Historical Dining Personal Chef

Image Credits
Tricia Brunson