Today we’d like to introduce you to BJ Burton.
Thanks for sharing your story with us BJ. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m BJ Burton AKA “Chef Spiffy” and I’m the owner of Seasoned by Spiffy Catering. I’ve been cooking for over ten years and it started right at home for me in Sherman, Texas. I grew up in a household where everything was always made from scratch and my dad is in the catering business himself. I was always tasked with helping on small prep work. At the time it seemed like a chore, but it wasn’t until I started getting older that the exposure my parents gave me in the kitchen was fully appreciated.
While in college I worked as a manager at Taco Cabana. That is where I realized I was just naturally comfortable in the kitchen. Soon I started making small “party foods” for the various gatherings I was always hosting. That later turned into preparing random dinners for friends, including multi-course Sunday dinners. As time passed, I realized I was really good at this cooking thing and I loved doing it! At the age of 27, with the support of my family and friends, I decided to turn my passion into my business, Seasoned by Spiffy Catering.
I’m passionate about cooking because it allows me to connect with people of all backgrounds. Everyone loves to eat and I love to serve delicious food. Every dish is made with love and you can taste it. Some people sing, dance, or paint, I cook. It’s my personal form of artistic expression and where I feel most comfortable.
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?
The road has been anything but smooth. There have been many struggles along the way. One of the biggest challenges has been staying firm with my pricing and understanding that not everyone will be willing to pay for my services. By lowering prices, it only devalues my product and I know the worth of skillset. Another challenge has been continuously evolving my business to meet customer needs and foster business growth. With that, I have to constantly look at ways to differentiate my products and provide a memorable service experience. With every struggle, I take it as an opportunity to learn and grow. I have truly embraced the struggle and owned the process of being entrepreneur.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Seasoned by Spiffy Catering story. Tell us more about the business.
We are full-service catering company. We cater all types of events including baby/bridal showers, housewarmings, brunches, corporate luncheons/banquets, and weddings. Creating great flavors in memorable dishes is our goal with each client. We want to take your taste buds on an adventure you will never forget. We are known for our creativity in dishes and making things in a way that most people wouldn’t think of. As a company, we are most proud of our Soul Food Egg Roll being named People’s Choice Award Winner as the Nosh Culinary Showcase in 2018 as part of Dallas Black Restaurant Week.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have been extremely lucky just in some of the connections that I have made that led to some great catering opportunities. I have also been blessed with a strong support system that always has my back with everything. That’s not luck though it’s a blessing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.seasonedbyspiffycatering.com
- Phone: 903-267-9446
- Email: seasonedbyspiffycatering@gmail.com
- Instagram: @seasonedbyspiffycatering
- Facebook: Seasoned by Spiffy Catering
Image Credit:
Stills x Frankie
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