We were lucky to catch up with Monique Karabach recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Monique, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
Most recently, my resilience has come from becoming a mother. I had a difficult time becoming pregnant, I had an even more difficult third trimester, and my birthing experience was far from ideal. My daughter was born premature and she spent a week in the NICU – notice I said SHE and not we, because it was the height of Covid, and the rooms dedicated for NICU parents were unavailable. It was the hardest week of my life. But then postpartum was extremely difficult, isolating, and debilitating at times. But through all of those years, I found a new strength inside me that has made me the woman I am today. Through losing my former self and becoming a new improved version, I’ve developed the most resilient mind. It’s the reason I’ve kissed anxiety goodbye. It’s the reason I can be the black sheep and not worry about what people are thinking. It’s the reason why my business keeps up-leveling. My resilience is a pillar in all I do, and I get to help others because of it. Through my business of helping beginners in the kitchen learn how to cook for themselves and their families with ease and joy, I get to share the lessons I’ve learned along the way. My private chef business has been operating for over 7 years, and being an expert in the field, I can confidently teach others how to implement more cooking into their daily lives so that they can reach their dietary goals!
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’m a private chef with 7+ years of experience and my passion is helping beginners in the kitchen learn how to cook for themselves and their families with ease and joy. I’m constantly sharing free tips and resources on my Instagram, as well as a other free offers to help those that are looking to improve the way they cook at home. I have a new masterclass which will help you achieve the level of at-home cook you’ve been desiring (aka an actual roadmap that breaks down everything you need to know to cook your meals quickly and easily) as well as one on one intensives for those looking for more support.
I used to wish I knew how to make the meals I grew up eating, that my parents made me with love, passion and our culture in mind. From trial and error for nearly 10 years, I’ve become an expert in my profession, and I’m spilling all the secrets with my clients. For a second, imagine you are empowered, confident, motivated and excited to cook up a meal for yourself, because you finally invested a little bit of your time into creating an improved version of you. You can find out more on my website, www.themoniquestory.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Having a healthy, intentional, clear mindset. When your mind is not grounded, you act out of impulse and that’s not always a good thing. Being intentional, focused and clear about my goals has helped me achieve them (and then some). This also applies to cooking, but is necessary in every aspect of life. And it’s something I delve into deeply into with my one on one clients!
Being eager to learn. I didn’t go to culinary school, so I soaked up everything around me to help me in my chef journey. Books, podcasts, YouTube videos, trial and error, you name it. Having an openness and willingness to learn is one of the biggest keys to life.
Not being afraid to try. My human design is a Mental Projector, which makes up about 1% of the population. I’m quite strong willed, and will try almost anything and test the limits. It’s a super power for me, and I love that about myself. I encourage everyone to always try something once, and not to worry about what people will think, because our life is too short to stifle our own light.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is someone that’s interested and open to learning about cooking more for themselves in a realistic, easy to understand approach. One thing that we are challenged with, especially in America, is the convenience of fast foods, of readily prepared foods, without thinking about what’s inside the thing we’re consuming. My ideal client is curious and interested in learning about how to eat with intention, how to cook amazing foods at home, no matter their skill level and how to find an improved version of themself through the lens of food. I’m NOT about trendy diets or counting calories – I’m about learning about unique cuisines, nourishing ourselves, and finding joy in the food we create and consume. My ideal client is most importantly open to learning about cooking at home!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.themoniquestory.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/themoniquestory
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/atx-eats-and-treats-austin
