Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Emmitt.
Hi Brandon, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
As a boy growing up, my dad was the primary cook for the family. While my mother was big on education. My parents kept us in church and busy with school. So, there wasn’t time for anything else. It was church, school, and home-cooked meals lol. That’s all I knew until my teenage years.
When I was a senior in high school my parents were heading towards a divorce. After my parent’s divorced my mother became very ill. That was one of my low moments as a teenager. I remember thinking to myself how am I going to get through this?
My dad was gone and I found myself in a position to make some tough, life decisions. Not having the answers, I knew who did ”GOD”. I got on my knees and begin to pray to ask GOD to be my dad and to show me the way. Through prayer, I was able to reflect on things that molded and shaped my values to have direction. I remember watching my dad cook in the kitchen as a boy. I learned to develop a passion for food. Later leading me to culinary school to study food more in-depth.
While attending culinary college that’s when I came across my mentor Chef Robert Bifulco. We develop a strong relationship like father & son. I believe GOD led me to him because he stayed on me and kept me grounded. Later realizing not only need skill development, but also personal development.
After graduating from college at the top of my class with an Associate Of Applied Science Culinary Arts Degree. Working at various major hotels as a dishwasher was the beginning of my career as a professional culinarian. Working for different chefs and moving up in the ranks,
Soon realizing I wanted to start my own business. I always had the idea and felt that I was doing most of the work. The chefs were taking most of the money home. So why not work for me? I was just ready to go ahead and do my own thing.
I was tired of feeling like a loser. Tired of working long hours & days, and having nothing to show for it. By stepping out on faith in 2014 Emmitt’s Catering became a reality and has been a success, and is based in Southlake, Texas since 2016.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Was it easy? No, not at all. I experience many challenges to get here. My ex-wife left me, lost my house, I was homeless, I lost everything, and a lot of people didn’t believe or support me. Challenges in life tend to encourage us to grow. When faced with making a career or life decision, I just chose to focus my energy on self-reflection and prayer. While supporting others with my vision through food.
I needed GOD’s guidance to show me what to do. It’s true, what GOD has for you is only for you. Despite losing everything, GOD just transition me. As God was guiding my steps, everyone, around me couldn’t go to the next level with me. The results speak for themselves. My business flourish when my ex-wife, fake friends, and jealous family members fell off.
As my business flourished, GOD has blessed me to be featured in several magazines & articles. I even had an invitation to be on a food cooking Tv show In LA.
Due to covid in 2020 after many years of being stable, I was forced to transition to social media sites to reach new clients. Because of the pandemic, my private chef services (In-home cooking) took off. Which has been a total success. Going from restaurant kitchens to clients in home kitchens.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
GOD has blessed me with a talent for cooking. I’m just doing what I love to do. My dad enjoyed cooking. It was seeing the spark for me in his eyes that he has for food. Watching him take it seriously made me take it to heart. Food is personal to me, I’m an artist with a plate. It’s not just a plate with food on it. That’s a plate with 16 years of experience on it.
At Emmitt’s Catering, we cater, private chef, and cooking classes. When that plate sits in front of a client it has a purpose. Which is to uplift, make you smile, and feel special. More like a kodak moment. I put my whole heart into it. I’m focused on every detail of that dish that I’m making at the time. It’s like I’m tunning vision, and nothing else around me matters at the moment.
I’m a chef with an armor of modesty and humility along with a spirit of curiosity and skill. I create my dishes through tenacity and creativity as “everything is made with love. My niche is not having a set menu. But to challenge myself by creating custom menus for each event for my clients. Cooking for others gives me a level of satisfaction and pleasure that is indescribable. With everything I do I want people to know that their food was MADE WITH LOVE. I believe in perfecting my craft. I don’t want to be good I want to be GREAT! So, failure or failing isn’t an option for me (I will be successful).
I’m proud to give back to the community and create a legacy. By giving back we started a go-fund page ” War Against Hunger”! All donations, go towards food, toiletries, hygiene products, cold-weather clothing, reusable containers, baby supplies, bottled water, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, laundry detergent, etc…
I know what it feels like to be hungry and besides GOD has blessed me to be a blessing to others. Also. my very own personal accomplishments that GOD has blessed me to be featured in Southlake Style Magazine, Huami Magazine, In Buckeye Review News, Checkout Dfw, Fired Up Magazine, Shoutout Dfw, and now Voyage Dallas Magazine.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I learned that you have to be open-minded to life challenges to be ready to adapt to change. Everybody doesn’t want you to be successful, happy for you, or will support you. That’s why it’s personal to me! By making every dish with love. It’s your dream so protect it, and when opportunities knock be ready to go for it without fear. You have to be fearless!!
Keep GOD first, have a vision, never settle, believe in yourself, work hard, keep, and hold tight until your dream becomes a reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://emmittscatering.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.emmitt.180/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-emmitt-12984912a/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrandonJEmmitt1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrandonEmmitt
