Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Graves.
Kate, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I didn’t choose this life, it chose me. My interest in cooking started when I was a kid in the kitchen with my great-grandmother. I could always cook and bake but my skills weren’t that diverse. Back in 2010, while working on Death Row in East Texas, I started baking desserts, such as cookies and cupcakes. I was off four days a week, and I wanted to be more productive on my off days, so baking became one of my hobbies. That’s until my husband gave me cooking challenges which helped better my culinary skills.
He would bet me that I couldn’t cook a dish, and let me just say that, the garbage can, stayed full. I was determined to learn and super competitive, so I started watching YouTube videos and I took a couple of cooking classes which were dull at first, until I learned the art of cooking. I also researched different foods and how can I incorporate those into different cuisines. It took years, and countless hours of training to better my skills in the culinary industry, and I am continuing to learn. I went from being a home cook for my family and friends to a private chef for celebrities and well-renowned surgeons. I am grateful for this journey, and I love every minute of it!!!!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My struggles along the way started at an early childhood, where I was raised by my great grandmother Mavis Jones. My parents weren’t in my life and I was raised in an environment where I was forced to be tough and watch over my younger brother. I got married young and my husband and I started a family together, and man didn’t we have some hard times. As a mom trying to balance family life, school and run my catering and personal chef business, this proved to be a real challenge for me.
There were days when I wanted to quit and go punch a clock on a job, but that wasn’t my dream. I am doing this to leave my legacy to my children and the world because I want everyone to know that Chef Kate was here. Since 2010 I’ve been working to build a brand that represents what I am about which is authenticity, love, laughing hard and serving. When I speak of service, I mean that I am a business leader and influencer to anyone who has a dream, and I will always use my influence to help others succeed in business and life.
On the bright side of business, it is going smoothly right now because in the culinary industry, “you never know what biscuits are going to be baked.” I was trained for this, and I believe that my law enforcement training comes to the forefront and my innate ability to adapt helps me get through any obstacles.
Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
Mavis J. Gourmet was founded in 2010 it’s named after my great-grandmother, and her name was Mavis Jones and she was known as the “Songbird. I wanted to pay homage to her for giving me the knowledge that I have today about the art of cooking. I wouldn’t believe in a million years that I’m the executive chef and owner of catering business. At Mavis J. Gourmet, I specialize in making Southern-infused gourmet cuisines and delectable desserts with a twist. When I say Southern Infused-Cuisines, I mean I might take some traditional spaghetti and spice it up by adding some Mexican seasonings. It’s a gift and a blessing to be able to create dishes from all over the world and throw some of my “southern roots” into the mix.
My food is an act of kindness and it is always prepared with love. When I cook and bake it puts me in a peaceful place, and that energy flows directly to my food. If I’ve had a frustrating day I get in the kitchen and it changes my mindset. When my clients want to make an impression, they call me, and when I do a client’s event, I’m making their event a memorable one. I always take pride in being professional while delivering impeccable customer service because our guests are just not our guests, they’re family.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
So far, the proudest moment of my career came in 2019 when I got a phone call from an agency that represents Weight Watchers. They needed some healthy meal choices for their Ambassador and Grammy Award winner Tamela Mann, and her husband famed actor David Mann. I worked as their personal chef preparing custom gourmet meal plans for the couple which was a lot of fun. We continue to maintain a relationship, and I have adopted what Mr. Mann says anytime he conducts good business, “We’re family now.”
On February 15th, I will be spending the day with Oprah at her “2020 Vision Tour”, and I’m looking forward to meeting her because she is an inspiration to me and women from all over the world. I also have a cookbook that will be released in February 2020, it’s titled “From Death Row to Death by Chocolate.” The book is the first that I’ve authored but it’s only the first in a long line of books to come.
I’m pretty sure there will be other proud moments in my life, but for now, I am grateful for the love and experience.
“Love Life, Laugh Hard, Eat Well” -Chef Kate
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MavisJGourmet.com
- Phone: 8179294853
- Email: mavisjgourmet@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefkg911/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MavisJGourmet
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mavis-j-gourmet-fort-worth
Image Credit:
K. Reynolds
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