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

VJ, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I honestly just went for it. There wasn’t a perfectly thought out business plan or a moment where I felt completely ready. I had an idea and a vision, and I decided to move toward it before I had all the answers.

The first real step was making a list of local farms I admired. I wanted beautiful spaces that already had soul and character. Then I did something that, at the time, felt terrifying. I personally showed up, asked for the owners, and told them my vision. I was essentially asking strangers to trust me to host a dinner on their property when I had never done anything like that before. It was nerve racking. But I believed deeply in the idea and in myself, and that belief carried me through the discomfort.

Once I secured a location, everything became very scrappy and very real. I sourced flatware from local thrift shops. My husband built me a table by hand. I sent invitations to friends and family for that very first pop up dinner. There were only eight guests, but I treated it like a full restaurant experience. I wanted them to feel something special.

My sisters, my best friend, and my husband became my back of house team that day. Together we set up what was essentially a restaurant in the middle of a beautiful farm. Looking back, I am still incredibly grateful that they asked no questions. They just showed up and believed in me.

That first dinner changed everything. It proved that the idea could exist in the real world, not just in my head. From there, I kept building, learning, refining, and growing one experience at a time.

VJ, 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’m a chef and Culinary Hospitality Experience Creator, and the founder of Field & Fire, where I design live fire dining experiences centered around connection, atmosphere, and storytelling through food. My path started with culinary school and an internship at Food Network, where I worked behind the scenes on large scale productions and developed an understanding of how powerful environment and presentation can be. Seeing how creative vision comes to life from concept to execution shaped the way I approach my work today.

But the deeper inspiration comes from my childhood. I learned to cook by watching my grandmother prepare meals over an open flame. We didn’t grow up with a traditional stove, and everything was cooked over fire. The food was simple, soulful, and always shared. Hospitality was not something we talked about — it was something we lived. That foundation shaped not only how I cook, but why I cook.

Today, I create immersive dinners and gatherings that allow people to slow down, feel cared for, and reconnect with each other. I provide private events, curated farm dinners, and live fire experiences that remove the pressure from hosting so clients can actually be present with their guests. What sets my work apart is the intention behind every detail — from the fire to the table to the atmosphere. I’m not just serving food, I’m creating a feeling.

I’m most proud of building something from instinct, culture, and heart, and trusting myself enough to pursue a vision before I had everything figured out.

Food is the medium, but connection is the real work.

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

Pivoting has honestly become part of my daily life, both personally and professionally. I’m someone who naturally likes to plan, but I’ve learned that growth often happens in the moments when things don’t go according to plan.

One of the clearest examples is my dinners, which are often held on farms or outdoor spaces. Unlike a traditional kitchen, if you forget an ingredient or a piece of equipment, there’s no quick solution — you have to adapt in real time. Early on, I realized that holding too tightly to perfection would only create stress, so I shifted my mindset. Instead of rigid menus, I work from a framework or rough draft, allowing space to adjust based on the environment, the fire, the ingredients, or even the energy of the evening. Sometimes dishes change in the middle of service, and guests never know — they just experience something beautiful.

That mindset has carried into my life as well. As a mother of two, a wife, and a business owner, every day requires flexibility. Plans change, priorities shift, and unexpected challenges come up constantly. I’ve learned that pivoting isn’t failure — it’s a creative tool. It’s how you keep moving forward.

What I’ve come to believe is that success isn’t about everything going perfectly. It’s about trusting yourself enough to adjust when it doesn’t.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my audience simply by being myself. I share the good days, the hard days, the behind-the-scenes moments, and the reality of what it looks like to run a business and create experiences. There are times when it feels like too much, but I’ve learned that people connect with honesty far more than perfection.

I know many businesses focus heavily on branding — logos, graphics, curated feeds — and I respect that approach. But for me, Field & Fire is deeply personal. It’s not something separate from my life. It’s how I cook, how I host, and how I show up every day. Instead of trying to create a polished brand identity that felt disconnected from who I am, I chose to let the brand be an extension of me.

I share content the same way I would host someone at my home or in the middle of a field — openly, warmly, and without pretending everything is perfect. That authenticity naturally attracted people who resonate with what I do.

My advice for someone starting out is simple: don’t wait until everything looks perfect to begin. Show up as you are, share your process, and let people grow with you. Connection builds audiences more than aesthetics ever will.

Field & Fire isn’t a brand I created — it’s who I already was, and I simply had the courage to show it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Chefvj_
• Other: Substack @Chefvj

Image Credits

Photographers: @byaverylyn | @ataylor.studio
Locations: @hollowhousefarm | @wycombevineyards

All creatives and locations are based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.