Today we’d like to introduce you to Chef Shad.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It started in 2009 while I was incarcerated in men’s central county jail. I always had a passion for cooking growing up. My grandma before she passed would always tell to go to culinary school, but I didn’t take it seriously. So while I was in jail I rented a recipe book and started looking over it. That’s when I told myself when I get I want to be a chef.
Once I was released I went start to the kitchen every chance I got. I first started studying components and plate balance then moved on to study presentations along with techniques. Fast forward to Feb 2013 I went to Le Cordon Bleu and started working in a restaurant as a paid line cook while on Externship. I soon graduated at the top of my class and moved on to work at another fine dining restaurant called Roys Hawaiian fusion all while creating Shadsnewcalicatering.
Unfortunately, that didn’t last long because they went out of business and that’s when I really started to move forward with SNCC. I started off just selling food through my IG page since people would always rave about to my personal dished I would post. Soon, I started to make a name for myself once people started to see the quality of the product I was putting out.
I was also one of the founders of the LA Instagram food scene along with my brothers at the Bleu kitchen, taco mell, all flavor no grease and trap kitchen. We were the first to do it out here in LA. After about 3 years in the food game, I then released my Kick’n cajun fried chicken that I’ve been working on to master since 2010 and it was a big hit. We now have 30k followers and they all want chicken lol. We are looking to expand into our food truck this October 2018.
Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth road, no way at all. It’s very stressful and labor intensive. The hardest obstacle is people placing orders and not showing up to get their food. But you have to stand tall and just keep working not allowing these incidents slow you down or make you give up.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Well, Shads New Cali Catering basically is my name fused with “New ” Orleans & ” Cali ” fornia. I wanted to bring my New Orleans roots food wise to California and give it a spin off the traditional southern way. I specialize in Cajun seafood and soul food. At this point, SNCC is most known around for the Spicy or mild kick’n cajun fried chicken.
I’m most proud of us for the quality and customer service we provide daily. Just seeing customers enjoy their food and elaborate on how good it makes them feel is something money can’t buy. What sets us away from others is simply quality over quantity that’s our model no matter what the menu item is.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t recommend our city only because its bad on traveling and LA is a high food market. Its food places all over which can have you in constant competition unless you bring something very unique to the table.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 3109187289
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Shadsnewcalicatering
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