We were lucky to catch up with Jacquelynn Allen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jacquelynn, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
One thing that inspires me and keeps my creativity alive is by looking at food. Walking through the grocery stores or the markets and looking at the fresh produce and what looks good that day. While doing this, all kinds of ideas come to my mind and I day dream of how I will execute the dish.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a personal chef here in Arizona. My business is called Scents of Taste. I cater a lot of bachelorette/bachelor parties in the Scottsdale area. I also do healthy meal prep and daily dinners for busy individuals. Catering dinner parties is my favorite thing to do. You get to interact with the guests, see them laughing and having a good time with each other. Regardless if it is a plated dinner or served buffet/family style, everyone is raving over the food and having an amazing time. In 2023, I made the decision to restructure my business. I wanted to cook with more high end gourmet ingredients. So I also revamped all of my menus to reflect the new and exciting direction of my business. It has been very well received. One exciting part about my career was me cooking in Italy with an Italian chef in 2018. This year in March, I will be traveling back to Italy to study food and cook with Italian chefs for a month. I have a deep passion with Italian culture and food. I want to learn the ins and outs of preparing Italian food the authentic way and bringing that teaching back and implementing it into Scents of Taste.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back at my culinary journey, I pride myself in never giving up and always being resilient. Being a chef, you have to learn to endure, be brave, stay determined and always be flexible. You have to know how to pivot when it gets “too hot in the kitchen” and problems arise. My advise to anyone aspiring to be a chef, just keep going. Don’t stop. Stay motivated and hungry. When people say you can’t, go harder. Always believe in yourself and stay true to who you are. Do not take any shortcuts. Like my Grandpa Allen used to always say, “Do it right the first time so you don’t have to worry about it.” Always ask questions and humble yourself. Be willing to listen and take advice from your elders. I see myself as my only competition and the only one who can get in my own way if I allow myself to. I do not worry about what others around me are doing. This is what keeps me focused and driven. Stay kind.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was allow me to be creative and explore my craft on my own. I was allowed to cook whatever I wanted in the kitchen, as long as I cleaned up my mess. This gave me the opportunity to explore all different kinds of flavors and figure out my cooking style. I made my own flavored salts, spice rubs and oils. Food has always been my gateway to something greater in life. I discovered myself through food. My passion is to make people smile through their stomachs with my culinary creations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://scentsoftaste.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scentsoftaste_catering
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scentsoftastepersonalchef
