Meet Jen D. Rodriguez

I have a strong visual sense. I enjoy studying nature, colors and textures, repetitive objects, and conversing. All of these things help to keep my creativity alive and flourishing. My ideas frequently come to me in my dreams, and I repeat them to myself until I wake up to write them down. I generally keep 3-4 journals nearby, including one in my purse, because I’m always writing or scribbling things like dialogues for books, sketches for plating or menu ideas, yard plans (I’ve been designing our backyard for over 10 years now – it’s an ongoing effort), ideas for T-shirts or quotes. Almost anything that comes to mind. Of course as a creative person, anything is possible.
But, it can also be difficult to switch off at times. That’s the difficult part.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
We are, 3 small plates, a contemporary tapas-style catering company that specializes in public and private events, markets, and special occasions as we embark on a culinary voyage to discover the world’s tastes and flavors, one plate at a time. From themed-boxed meals to 3- to 8-course plated culinary experiences, passing 1-bites, and satellite stations are available through our chef-curated service tiers.

We’re in the midst of relaunching our weekly 3SP Bistro meal delivery service with a subscription. Each week, we’ll travel up to 5 different countries through food. One day, you may be dining in Asia, another night in Italy, Spain or even Germany based on the meals offered that week or month.

Other offerings include a new series of hands-on cooking classes; corporate culinary competitions for team building activities and chef interactions with our sweet (cookies, cakes and chocolate), savory (mash, mac or sopa) or green scene (healthy-vibe) bars for special occasions and events. These are the only ‘bars’ we promise no hangover is involved, perhaps a food coma though.
We love to serve people, and to see their faces light up when dining with us. There is a perception of what they think it should taste like, and we throw them for a flavor-burst loop. The look on their faces says it all…mission accomplished.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities that were most impactful to me are: First, never give up no matter how hard the wind blows or how much you want to throw rocks. Throw the rocks, let out your rage, take a long breath, and get back to work.
Second, learn to laugh at yourself. Life throws some quirky times and experiences at us, and the only thing we can do is laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, because it relieves stress and reminds us that we are only human.
Third + a wild card, pray frequently, and earnestly. Prayer does change things. Most importantly trust the process. Every destination along this journey consists of several steps. You must go through them; can’t just skip over them. At each step, there is a lesson to learn. Frequently, the route is shorter than the process. However, the journey itself is more important than your destination or outcome.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
This summer has been an unusually slow, sluggish season that can only get better in the cooler months. Contrary to popular belief, summer isn’t always the wedding season and a caterer’s most busiest time of year. Actually we’ve been in a snail crawling season. Many celebrations/events are opting for the cooler months. During these times, we reflect on what lies ahead, catch up on administrative work, and come up with new ways to put my cooking abilities and talents to use outside of events.
It’s also an opportunity to reorganize offsite gear and equipment, restock and rearrange the kitchen spaces, and create meal destinations for our 3SP Bistro subscription. We still keep busy even during snail season.
In June, we joined Lux Markets, a private farmers market serving Austin’s luxury apartments. Fingers crossed, business picks up and attracts more clients to our 3SP Bistro meals, and catering opportunities.
And yet, we’re grateful for the slower periods. Rushing can be harmful since it causes us to repeat what we already know while also forgetting important details and extra procedures. Even the smallest details must be attended to when working in our industry to ensure the success of our business.