Lights, Camera....Perfection?

In about 24 hours from this post at Johnny Rocco's in Niagara Falls we should be serving the last dishes of Iron Chef Niagara. A charity competition that puts 8 local chefs against each other for bragging rights. No chef in this competition wants to lose and that is extremely true for myself. Not only am I the youngest chef in the competition but the most on the line. As an owner and a chef of Artisanal Palate it means a lot of me to win the whole competition.

The industry that I find myself, is also one of the most competitive and in pour economic times one that has taken a massive hit. All of these other chefs collect pay cheques, I have to create mine. So when it is my turn to plate this round (and possibly beyond) I am in search for perfection with every plate. I do not except less when it is for a paying client and I definitely will not except it at a charitable event. Their will be 150 people possible tomorrow night and that is a lot of people that will talk if you did well or not.

I am nervous and excited. I love what I do and it is competition like this that bring me to another level. If in the mean time we can raise a ton of money for charity then that is even more rewarding.

If you want tickets for Jan 26th for Iron Chef call 905-358-0004.

Slainte

How to Market Great Product

I know what your thinking.

A Chef writing about Marketing, what could he possibly tell me. I can tell you the most important thing possible when it comes to running a business and that is, GET AN EXPERT!!

At the end of this coming week Artisanal Palate will be 21 months old and the hardest thing is taking great product and getting it out to the public. I was once told by a mentor that it does not matter how good your product is if you can't sell it. So many companies are in existence because of their ability to sell and not necessarily because they have the best product. For an example look at Apple. A company that in many eyes, does not have the greatest products but they can sell you millions in apps and the newest iphone or ipod 2 months after you bought the latest addition. They have the ability to sell by creating excitement and creating a market.

Now look back at Artisanal Palate, a professional catering service. It is hard in my business as a chef to sell my products to clientele, especially in an industry that is deamed as a luxury. It is easy to know you have the best quality, value and/or product, but it is another to make a connection. Your competition often have larger budgets and time on their side. So after being invited to the Niagara Business Group and meeting some influential people in thearea I started working with a few of them. Mark Saxton from Elevated and Chris Sinclair from Brand Boulevard have acted as mentors with priceless information and help. So after spending countless hours working on aspects of business that are not my strength I have realized that working with experts makes a large difference.

In the end I am just a visionary and a great cook, it is working with experts like them that makes running a business fun again. So this coming month Artisanal Palate will be releasing our new marketing strategy and it will all start with the Iron Chef Niagara competition. Proceeds go to charity but for a young chef and business like myself it means a lot more than that to me.

The day I stop learning will be the day I quite.

Slainte everyone

Food for a Cure

There has been a lot of things going on with Artisanal Palate in the past few weeks so I feel its time for an update. I launched the prepared food and preserve label of the company called Gourmet Niagara. This label will be a mix of gourmet preserves, soups, pastas, and other prepared foods.

You can find the store located by the red tab at www.NiagaraCatering.ca or go directly to the store at http://apgourmetniagara.wazala.com. I did a soft opening last weekend but this week I am planning bigger and better things.

In exactly 6 months I am hoping to be riding into Niagara for the Ride to Conquer Cancer. With an extensive family history of Cancer this is a cause that truly is close to my heart. So while training this morning I came up with "Food for a Cure".

Food for a cure will run from January 13th to March 31st, where I will donate 15% of my total sales/bookings to the Ride to Conquer Cancer. So this is how it works, go to the site and order food, catering packages, cooking classes, anything from this company and I will give 15%.

Help me get to my $3000 goal in May to help out a cause and allow me to ride for a cause. You can also make direct donations on my profile page. So help me fill your bellies while you give others hope.

Slainte

Link to Ride to Conquer Cancer Profile
www.niagaracatering.ca/charity

Evolution

2010 was a year where Artisanal Palate Catering was trying to grow our brand and connect with past clients. Needless to say this was not as successful as we wanted. We made a lot of changes at the end of the year, creating a new website, business mentors and cutting the dead weight. We now have the team and business we want. Our evolution has been steady until this year where we plan on coming hard and fast out of the gate.

Starting January 7th, 2010 Artisanal Palate will have our Online Store going. So you will now be able to purchase food, food packages, tickets, local products and much more. Our Passion Experiments : An Evening of Passion was released New Years day and we look forward to releasing our other Dinner Series.

2011 will be Artisanal Palate's year so come find out what is going on in Niagara at NiagaraCatering.ca. Find out what AP plans on doing to change the landscape of the local Niagara culinary scene. Most of all let's have some fun, in 2011 rediscover the passion at your table.

Discover Artisanal Palate Catering

An Evening of Passion

After 5 years The Passion Experiments are finally here and ready to roll February 11th in Niagara on the Lake. This one of a kind dinner series combines food and relationships with each stage coinciding with a stage in a relationship. This large public event is the kick off to what will be an adventurous year for Artisanal Palate as we finally bring our various Dinner Series to the Region.

Click Here for more details:
www.niagaracatering.ca/events/an-evening-of-passion

Looking Back on 2010

I remember growing up and always hearing "you cant know where you are going if you don't know where you have been". Now I have no clue who said it first but it has kind of been a motto for me and the business. I think it is important for all of us to make ourselves better in our work and in our life. So in 2010 I set out some goals that I wanted to accomplish and looking back I am happy with all the mistakes, successes and what I learned from them.

I am very proud of the growth that Artisanal Palate saw this year and bringing my passion to thousands of people with my food. My biggest goal was to get a satellite with a winery and that was completed with Konzelmann. The patio was the most successful the winery has ever seen and was actually 40% locals every weekend which made me very happy. To have locals come out every week is very satisfying, especially when they join the Winemaker Dinner that I do with Eric Pearson and Herbert Konzelmann. Sometimes I would see the same people 3 times a week!

The website was a nightmare this year putting its completion in the wrong hands until meeting Ricardo Macrae who has fixed the back ground issues that I was having. I learned that I need to be on top of things a lot more and cut ties earlier with those not doing work to my standards. I am so happy with the website now and all the work that went into getting it up and the continued work to bring you the best of Artisanal Palate and the great region of Niagara.

The biggest lesson that I learned this year was to follow up. I met so many great people this year that have helped as mentors through the St.Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce and the Niagara Business Group. Sales have been my weakest point and it has been talking with these experienced business men and women that will make the difference for year 3.

I have learned how to spend my money smarter and stretch it farther than I was ever able to before. I still made a lot of mistakes and one massive one that lost me $3000. I figure that I learned from that mistake and hopefully others can learn from mistakes that I have made. The moral of that story is really really educate yourself on the businesses you give your money to. This business was not one that I should of....it happens.

So after 20 months and the 2nd January of this business's young life I see a lot of positives. I am working hard on establishing more contracts and developing great dinner series. The Passion Experiments will start February 11th and things are being worked out for a Winemaker and Farmer Series. I know looking back it has been a tough 2010 where money was short and it took a lot of work to grow even an inch. With all that hard work now bringing a smile to all my clients and new ones every month I am looking forward to 2011.

With so many great things ahead I hope that you all can grow whether in business or personally. Keep checking in at NiagaraCatering.ca and remember that if you have any food needs or questions, I am available. I am hear to help you as much as run a busniess, so from me to you ....I hope you to can top your best in 2011.

Slainte my friends in apron

Iron Chef

Artisanal Palate will be putting our skills to the test in a competition for charity. Information on actual dates and times will be coming soon. You can also contact Johnny Roccos for more information. (905-358-0004)