Meet Elayne Sawaya

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elayne Sawaya. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elayne below.

Elayne, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I grew up at a time and place where being middle eastern wasn’t very common. My mom and grandmother taught me to be proud of my ancestry. I always wanted to look and be treated like the girl next door. Certainly at that time in my life I didn’t want to stand out . When I had my friends over to my home for dinner they were always amazed and surprised by the food my parents served them. Salad ? Isn’t that something reserved for parties only? I was just as surprised as they were that they only had salad on very special occasions while at my house it was a very regular part of any meal. I guess I eventually learned how to use my differences — in both appearance and what I loved to eat as a strength– something to talk about, explain and connect with. We all have things that allow us to stand apart from the crowd. This is how we are alike and able find a true connection with each other. My parents taught me to be curious about people and I am.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a culinary consultant and guide. If you are having an event and want to figure out how to make that event a standout in both menu design and service style, I am here to assist you.

I have always been adventurous . I have traveled extensively to places that are off the beaten path. I’ve worked and traveled for months at a time around the world 2 separate times and have had the great good fortune of meeting people from other cultures and learning about who they are and what they value. It has been such a privilege to be allowed to acquaint myself with people who are not “the girl next door”. In my former life I was a tv producer and my job was to find the story. Research was my passion. So asking in depth questions and discovering answers has been and always will be an immediate reflex that is both edifying and stimulating.

My Motto and raison d”etre is “one size does not fit all”. It’s a truism in fashion, art , politics and food tastes. And since one of my passion is having and creating food adventures, I truly believe that my clients deserve to have menus that tell their story. I want their meals to be emblematic of who they are and/or what their corporation’s mission is.
We were recently tasked with designing an interactive menu for a plated luxury fundraising dinner where the food transformed colors right before guests eyes as they were instructed to take certain actions as they began to eat each course.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1, Boredom: I think my food curiosity and love of finding something new has served me well. It has sent me to places I may have not normally been .

2. Risk taking: I love stepping out of my comfort zone. I love being teachable.

3. Being a tough critic: I won’t settle for “it’s fine, it’s edible”.
This has led me to find the real culinary talents in this industry. My eye for design in fashion and home decorative arts has dovetailed quite nicely with food design and the art of tabletop design.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

As @cateringconcierge, I am always looking to expand my roster of culinary partners. I want to collaborate with chef/caterers who ae open and willing to go above and beyond the normal pull down menus that they might have done in the past. I want to work with caterers who are truly interested in expanding their repertoire based on information that I glean from my client research. I ask a lot of questions and I want my partners to ask a lot of questions as well. I am always available to meet up and talk to caterers/chefs who think we might be a good match. My website is www.cateringconcierge.net and I am always happy to chat by phone 213-999-5856 or by email esawaya@gmail.com

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Gabriel Castillo

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