We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vivian O’Phelan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Vivian , 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?
I seed and grow ingredients for the foods I make. It brings me a complete contact with nature and with that appreciation comes great inspiration. Every time I feel that I can’t create or am running out of ideas, I go outside to my gardens and the moment I see my plants, it re-energizes me. It’s like an instant creativity switch that always keeps my ideas and alive and blooming.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a professional chef and founder of VivisCatering, a business designed for all kinds of experiences: catering, private cheffing, virtual and in-person themed cooking classes, team building events and much more. We use all organic, high quality, local products and teach very simple menus to make cooking easier yet elevated in flavors and finesse. We are currently offering all services in the Tampa Bay area and are hoping to expand our business by creating a potential partnership to sell our homemade products and services in a commercial business.
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?
Back in the 90s, I started as a food runner, then a server, and earned my way up to the kitchen. First as a line chef and finally as a chef. During these years, I learned self discipline, humbleness, and an inner strength that I thought I could never achieve. In those times, I had mentors that seemed like bullies but when I started asking myself, “what am I doing wrong as a worker?” is when my growth started. I learned to push myself to be better and strengthen my skills. I was a young egotistical person who thought I was up to par and ready for everything but as soon as I had superiors that needed me to acknowledge my wrongs, I realized I needed to change my mindset. I would say now that I really don’t have an ego anymore. I never thought I could see myself as strong as I am since I started. The pressure and bulk of the work was unbearable at times, and I never thought my body and mind would eventually connect to work together to keep going but here I am, almost 50 going stronger than ever. The work and my experiences made me determined to not be my bullies and teach with care, genuinity, and patience. To all young people that are starting this journey, my advice is to ask yourselves if you are truly doing your best and treating your work as if it were your own. Be on time, be the best version of yourself even on the darkest days and cook with your heart and soul.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
Being well-rounded by investing your effort in areas you are unfamiliar or “weak” in is the best investment you can make because you eventually learn that you are genuinely capable of doing anything. It builds your confidence and gives you the mindset to keep growing and continuously find ways to improve in certain aspects of your life, try and learn new things, and really put yourself out there for a multitude of opportunities.
I used to be terrified of Zoom meetings, being in front of cameras, and public speaking. The idea of being in front of people who I couldn’t physically see or connect with was a big “no” for me for years. Until the pandemic came, and I saw that people all over the world wanted to interact with each other through online cooking classes. I saw the opportunity to help people connect and through all my fears, I took it. It was one of the best decisions I made. I have had the privilege of giving families, coworkers, and friends a space where they can learn something new together and have fun through this platform. By working on myself and areas that I was completely uncomfortable in, I grew and now am proud to say I regularly do international virtual classes, give speeches for big corporations, and host events for businesses.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.viviscatering.com/
- Instagram: vivimichicatering
