Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Patrick Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Patrick, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Ooh this is a great question! I think we’ve all been there before. This speaks near and dear to my heart because as an African-American male, I’ve been in rooms, meetings, events, you name it where I’m the only one who looks like me. Quite frankly, it can be intimidating and a bit overwhelming when you initially think about it. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the many years of being a chef and working in corporate America, its that the first fifteen seconds of an introduction are crucial. In those fifteen seconds, you need to state who you are, what you’re all about, and why the people in the room should give a damn. Prime example…a few years ago when I was first getting my feet wet as a chef/influencer, I got invited to an event where I was the only person of color in the room. That was already my initial way of sticking out like a sore thumb. I didn’t wait for anyone to approach me, I approached them. I gave them all a reason to chat with me showing my charisma, my personality, and my eagerness to learn. By the time I was done introducing myself, it literally felt like the entire room was gravitating towards my direction and it felt great! It furthered my belief that as long as you have faith in yourself and know your worth, others will see the value in what you bring to the table.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Hi everyone!
My name is Patrick Lee. I’m a private chef and social media influencer based out of New Castle, DE. I’ve owned and operated my own business for the past three years and have gone on to be featured on several publications and cooking pages such as The Shade Room and TheKitchn.com. I specialize in creating fusion dishes and elevating your favorite soul food and comfort meals. I am available to cook for private dining and larger catered events as well as travel to anywhere across the country.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would say to be successful in this business, you need three critical skills. You need to be well managed, you need to be consistent, and you need to be willing to adapt.
Being a private chef requires that you’re well managed. This means being highly organized when preparing food for others, having easy access to your supplies and materials, being able to have a system in place to manage invoices, clients, etc. Trust me when I say your clients will appreciate you if you’re proactive not reactive.
You need to be consistent. This is an industry where pricing and services are super competitive. Keeping your prices and your services the same will give your customers confidence in knowing they can get the same quality services across the board with you and not feel like you’re overcharging them.
Lastly, you need to be willing to adapt. The business is forever changing with inflation, customer needs, food safety standards and protocols. Keep your mind open to learning new things and techniques in order to stay relevant in an ever changing industry.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Great question! I’m open to collaborating with anyone as long as the partnership is mutually beneficial. I believe we can learn from one another regardless of our positions in life or experiences. if you’re looking to collaborate with me, shoot me an email and let’s talk business as long as it makes sense! My email is cookingwithpatlee@gmail.com.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookingwithpatlee/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQdmsagoPqnXBz7mv6TK6Q
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