Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Gadsden.
Hi Candice, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I was born on a naval base near Chicago, Illinois. I spent quite a bit of my childhood on the Southside of Chicago, but I also spent time in Georgia and lastly in Texas where I graduated high school. I graduated from Copperas Cove High School in Copperas Cove, Texas. I didn’t really have a desire to go straight to college after high school so I followed in my parents’ footsteps and joined the military. I spent 4 years in the United States Air Force where I met my husband. We celebrated 20 years of marriage last year and have 3 children.
After getting out of the military in 2004, I wasn’t quite sure of the direction I wanted to go. I had always dreamed of becoming a news broadcaster and began pursuing a degree in Telecommunications, but while doing so I began working as a Human Resources Assistant and found out pretty quickly that it was something I enjoyed. I loved working with people — I’m sure that sounds a little cliche’, but it’s the truth. At this time, we were living in Shreveport, Louisiana and my husband was still in the Air Force. His military career ended in 2014 and we decided to move our family to Dallas. I continued to work in HR here in Texas up until about 2017 when a situation with a former employer made me re-evaluate my whole life. I guess you can call it my villain origin story! Ha Ha! I’m not really a villain, but you get my point. I took some time away from the workforce, and finally completed my Bachelor’s Degree (it took me what seems like forever!) Once I completed my degree, I no longer had the desire to work in Corporate America anymore (funny how that works out right?).
I have always enjoyed cooking and entertaining. When I lived with my grandparents, we always had various friends and family over and everyone was always in the kitchen eating and laughing. Those were really good times! I incorporated the same thing with my family and friends as I got older. Once a month, I would host a gathering in my home and have everyone over for family dinner. One day my cousin mentioned that I should start a catering company. My first thought was no for several reasons. I thought my food was good, but not good enough to charge people and also, I wasn’t really sure of how to even get started. We talked about it a little more, and after speaking with my husband — I decided to go for it. January 2020, TKO Catering by Candy was born! That same cousin is responsible for the name too. Shh… let’s not give him too much credit, I’ll never live it down. I started out with plate sales, advertising on Facebook and Instagram, and eventually began catering events. Since 2020, I have catered/served hundreds of customers in the DFW area. I am extremely proud of how far I have come since beginning my journey. As a chef, one of my proudest moments thus far was being flown to New Orleans to cater the 70th birthday party for the mother of one my really good friends. It was a 2-day event, and it came together beautifully! The party was in October 2021, and her guests are still talking about the food! I am excited about how I have grown, and things are only getting better as I have recently become a partner with DoorDash!
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?
It’s been a lot of things, but a smooth road? No way! One of the challenges I faced early on was getting my name out there in a city with hundreds and hundreds of catering companies. I started shortly before the pandemic so it took quite a while to really get up and running as people weren’t hosting gatherings, and no one knew who I was! I had a friend who would order once a week from me to show support and my best friend who lives in Houston would place an order even though I couldn’t deliver the food to her! The support from my family and friends who purchased food or shared posts was incredible and I will forever be grateful to them. The other thing that I struggled with in the beginning was the confidence in my abilities. I would see other chefs’ work and think that there was no way I would ever be on their level. I would see them catering these huge events, and the food looked amazing! One day I was talking to my best friend and sharing with her my struggle. She told me that while Dallas may have a million caterers, the one thing they didn’t have was me! It was me, my personality, and my skill that was going to get me the business. So, I decided to take that and run with it. I love people, and I take care of my clients like they are my family. Whether they are hosting an event or placing an order to hang out at home, I want them to feel the love I put into my food.
While it may not always be easy, it has certainly been worth it!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about TKO Catering by Candy?
I am a mobile chef that does drop-off catering. I specialize in catering for weddings, parties, and family meal prep! My specialty is soul food with a little Cajun mixed in. My most popular items are Cajun pasta, collard greens, mac and cheese, and my brunch package! It’s me that sets me apart from others. I am very personable, and when I am working with you on an event — your event going well is just as important to me as it is to you. The thing I am most proud of with my brand is the fact that my clients can trust me, and they come back to me repeatedly and they bring friends! It makes my day to hear a potential client say “I attended an event you catered and the food was amazing!” A couple of things I would want my potential clients to know are:
1. I am a mobile caterer — I deliver the food, set it up, and then leave you to enjoy your event. I don’t offer servers as I don’t currently have the staff.
2. I am listed on DoorDash, but my radius is not very large right now. If you are located in the Mesquite/Balch Springs area, you should be able to place an order.
3. Clients or potential clients should never be afraid to reach out to me with questions regarding my menu or hosting an event.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
There are a couple things that have been important to my success. I build relationships with my clients and I have a servant heart. I always tell my clients that I look forward to serving them, and I really mean that. God gave me the ability to make people happy with food, and for the first time in my adult life — I feel like I am doing exactly what I am meant to do.
I have been there for baby showers, weddings, birthday parties, etc… and I enjoy getting to be a part of it all. I love their reactions when they see the food and when they text or call me later with feedback, it makes those hours on my feet all worth it.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.mobile360.app/tkocateringbycandy
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/tkocateringby_candyllc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/tkocateringbycandy
