Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Sagoo.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was young I vividly remember having a passion for baking. It all started one morning when my mom took out a recipe book. She told me how she used to love baking pound cake and having it fresh out of the oven with a good cup of Kenyan tea. I was fascinated so I made her show me to make it and for many years after that, I baked a variety of pound cakes. From cakes, I took an interest in sauces and by the age of ten, I was so close to branding a tomato chutney my family used to love eating.
Although I baked frequently as a kid my fondest memory was opening one of my mom’s many savory recipe books, writing down a list on my hand, and walking to the local grocery store a mile away to grab all the ingredients. Back then my mom worked a lot as a single parent and I was good at saving my money so I would take my $10 a week and get to work in the kitchen! Some ingredients I had never heard of but I was really lucky I had so many friends at the local grocery store who would help me out. From there I started visiting Kenya every summer break to spend time with my family. In our three-month summer vacation there my grandmother took it as a priority to teach me all of her favorite recipes.
Years passed and, in 2008, I started attending the University of North Texas. I would drive down to Fort Worth twice a week to help with the family business and after work, my brother & I would cook and try new recipes. As a sophomore in college, my roommate’s sister was getting married and my roommate’s mom wanted us to help her bake the wedding sweets. For weeks my roommate’s mom and I spent time trying different recipes and getting back into the groove of baking. After the wedding, I rekindled my passion for baking and started a small cupcake business catering small orders to close friends out in Denton. I loved every minute of it!
After obtaining my Bachelor of Science (2014) I thought I’d get a job locked down quickly so I could start applying for PT schools. To my surprise, finding a job felt almost impossible. Week after week went by and I had zero leads for jobs. I started applying to retail and home care jobs to try and get me by. One day I felt so discouraged, having applied to my hundredth job, and broke down crying. I had bills overdue and my student loans were about to kick in. I felt trapped until my mom dragged me to a restaurant to have dinner with a good friend of hers. That good friend, my guardian angel, got me a job at the restaurant that same day and I haven’t stepped out a kitchen since.
Since 2014 I have worked diligently in this field to learn as much as I could possibly allow myself to absorb. I often carried three jobs in different companies to learn under different chefs and gain the experience to open my own company one day. In early 2015, my brother and I started our first catering company but never made it official due to lack of experience. We kept the company very small and accessible to a close network as a test to see how ready we were to be business owners. We failed miserably! After that, I decided to take my talents into fine dining and there I found my passion for food & culinary techniques. The hours were long and many days I was working doubles but each day was a new opportunity to be better than yesterday.
After a few years in fine dining, I received the opportunity to manage my first small restaurant. It was a major learning curve and I learned so much from the experience. That gave me the courage and background to manage my own company. I spent almost two years managing the restaurant until I woke up one day feeling ready to have my own dream. I came up with the concept of Spiced Lavender Catering in five days, applied for the license, and put in a 30-day notice. The rest is history!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Any business owner will tell you that having your business is so rewarding but the challenges are what mold you into the business owner you are. It’s a forever unfolding process because you never stop learning! We have been in business for a little over a year and our first challenge was gaining good clientele. Our second biggest challenge was not anticipate my business to blow up as quickly as it did once word of mouth went out. I had a very hard time keeping up with client’s and it was a day and night process trying to figure out what systems worked for us.
A lot of people don’t know that our clientele for the first six months was primarily based in Austin, TX and its surrounding cities. We had a very hard time launching our business in Dallas/Fort Worth because we didn’t have the credentials that people were looking for such as reviews, accolades, etc. Once we received recognition for our flavors and service the table’s turned and we started attracting a huge audience in DFW. Needless to say, the journey has been very rewarding and a lot of fun despite the challenges. We are forever grateful to God, our determined hustle, and the amazing people of Austin for welcoming us with open arms.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Spiced Lavender Catering story. Tell us more about the business.
Spiced Lavender Catering provides styles such as buffet, à la carte, live cooking, and anything you can cook up in your mind. From Indian inspired dishes to more American classics this is the home of robust flavors & true diversity! We are planning on extending our menu to include whole roasted meats such as leg of lamb, roasted pig, and other amazing delicacies. We are well known for our seasonings and our signature beverage, Cherry Lime Hibiscus Tea.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m not sure I believe in luck but I definitely believe in God. I am really grateful that each one of life’s tests has made me stronger and gotten me to ready for where I am now. Without the obstacles I wouldn’t be the chef and person I am today.
Pricing:
- Weekly Meal Planning ($150 weekly/15 meals)
- Cooking Classes ($100/person)
- Event Catering (Starting at $500)
- Private Chef (Starting at $250)
- Menu Consultations (Starting at $100)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.spicedlavender.com
- Phone: 682-622-9644
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spicedlavenderco/
- Other: https://www.thumbtack.com/tx/fort-worth/catering/spiced-lavender-catering/service/322728756476583946
Image Credit:
Wolfe Nation Studio
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