Conversations with Nancy Chery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Chery.

Hi Nancy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a classically-trained personal chef and owner of Chef Cheri LLC.  Like a lot of other personal chefs, this is my second career–my first was in fashion. I’ve always loved cooking, though.  When I was nine, I made my first meal.  It was mashed potatoes, broccoli, and meatloaf (lol). I was always in the kitchen watching my grandma and mom cook.  Beyond my love for cooking, I love being a personal chef because I get to help people.  I get to help people take care of their health, free up their time to focus on other priorities, or help them to enjoy life and celebrate with their family and friends. I’m constantly learning new recipes and styles of cooking every day, so that I can continue to “wow” my clients. I love that I can create dishes from around the world that make people feel like they hopped on a plane; that’s something special to me.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely not been easy.  Entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint of heart. Cooking is the easy part.  The networking and marketing–the putting yourself out there, that can be tough.  But making consistent efforts, learning/making adjustments as you go, and giving yourself grace–that’s key.  That’s true for entrepreneurship and life in general.

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memories are when I’d help my grandfather plant fruits and vegetables.  I loved eating all of the fruits (like sugar cane and papaya). We’re Haitian, so my grandfather planted all of the fruits and vegetables that you’d find in Haiti. I always say my grandparents’ home is Haiti, sitting in the middle of Fort Myers, Florida (lol).

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I provide personalized in-home healthy meal prep as well as in-home (or vacation rental) dining experiences (for up to 20 people).  I specialize in seafood and making everything from scratch.  My motto is, “Eating good, but clean!”

My goal is to bring value to all of my clients’ lives and to help them to enjoy it through personalized culinary experiences.  That could mean having dinners ready for busy families, creating a 4-course dining experience for a couple’s anniversary, or creating a 3-course family-style experience to celebrate a promotion.

Contact Info:

• Website: thechefcheri.com
• Instagram: cooking.with.cheri
• Linkedin: Nancy Chery
• Other: Tiktok: cooking.with.cheri