We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kimberly Suta a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kimberly, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
In many instances, I think my purpose found me. I have always been a creative, so I like to explore all kinds of artistic endeavors. I’m a writer, an entrepreneur, a filmmaker, occasionally a photographer, and I love painting, pottery and all kinds of things. Although food is pretty much my life now in various forms and fashions, I never planned to work in the culinary industry. I was led to it. I was invited to write for a company that eventually became USA Today’s 10best.com as the San Antonio expert on food and other things – so that’s how I got started. I would say to a young person looking for their purpose or someone looking to pivot – just get out there and try new things and have fun doing it and see what you naturally align with and attract. If your main focus is on joy, love and expression – the details will present themselves.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
First and foremost, I’m a writer – it seems to influence and permeate almost everything I do. Currently, I am the editor for Edible San Antonio Magazine and the owner of media and events company, Homegrown Chef – we put on San Antonio’s Burger Showdown every year, a chef battle for best burger and fundraiser for the San Antonio Food Bank (the past two years, at least). I also own Sutapants Productions, a PR and marketing company, largely for the food industry, but I have and still do work within a variety of other industries.
When I get the chance, I’m even a filmmaker – screenwriter, director and producer. I’ve done arts documentaries for PBS; I was a finalist for a screenplay competition through Sundance. Most recently, I launched a new catering company, Aphrodite’s Table, with one of my best friends, Diana Anderson, the modern Chili Queen of Texas, who is a wizard with flavors. We both love exploring and experimenting with food and really love to share our passion by serving others. Food is the great equalizer as Anthony Bourdain always touted.
Before working in the culinary industry was even an inkling, he was one of my heroes. I was raised, in part, by my grandmother and the love language she taught me was food. It’s how you show people that you care about them. I took that to heart. I wish I had time to pursue every creative idea but unfortunately there’s not enough time in the day. As I move through space and time, I’ve learned how to better focus my intentions, but there are more exciting things to come, for sure.
My next creative project is a paranormal horror short film that I’ve written and am preparing to produce and direct. Don’t get me started about ghosts… because I also have.a podcast called The Paranormal Empath I produce with my friend, Andrew Martinez and, truth be told, they’re real! In fact, the film I wrote is based on real life events and the investigation at a haunted house in Diggy Hills in my hometown, San Antonio. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I also offer private and public culinary tours through River Walk Culinary Adventure Tours (you can find on Facebook). They’re all different, not always on the River Walk, but such as blast!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Networking: I resisted this for a long time, but there’s no denying you’ll get ahead faster by building your community. It is all about who you know, in the end – for good or bad. So build your network. Get involved in groups, nonprofits, etc. Go to those business networking events. Be social, even if you’re a wallflower. Pass out cards. Do the do. I haven’t done this enough in my life. I am social, but also pretty careful about who I open myself up to. It’s a balance, I guess, just like anything.
Writing: Of course, I’m a writer so writing skills are very important to me, but I think good communication skills are beneficial to almost anyone in any industry. Nowadays, language is morphing pretty quickly. I find language pretty fascinating, but modern communication – i.e. texting and emojis, and how we’ve reduced language down to acronyms is disconcerting. But you can bet that when you send a business email or a resume and you have misspellings or language that’s too casual, it can hurt you. I suggest reading and writing a journal, if you need to improve those skills.
Listening: As a storyteller by nature, I love to watch and learn from people. The way the talk, their mannerisms, the lives they’ve lived, are all seeds. However, I’ve notice that most people aren’t very skilled listeners. They’d much rather be the one talking, but in your personal and business worlds, if you develop your listening skills it will enhance your relationships.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I love collaborating SOOO much! It’s just the must fun.. .whether it’s creating a meal or an event together, producing a film, starting a new project – it’s an amazing experience. As a writer, so much of what I do has always been solitary, so I really enjoy the energy and unexpected ideas and evolutions things take when working in groups. If you have something you’d like to collaborate on, please feel free to reach out to me at sutapants@gmail.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: homegrowncheftv.com
- Instagram: sutapants
- Facebook: Facebook.com/kimberlysuta and Facebook.com/homegrownchefsa
- Linkedin: KimberlySuta
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EkstasisFilms/videos
- Other: ediblesanantonio.com