April 24, 2017

Meet Courtney Howerton, Chef in West Los Angeles

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Howerton.

Courtney, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always loved eating and cooking, but never thought of food as more than just a hobby. I went to college for journalism and developed an interest in the fashion world. After graduation, I moved to NYC to continue a fashion internship I’d completed in London the previous summer. I hated it. As with most fashion jobs, it sounded a lot more glamorous than it was. For the next year and a half, I held different roles in sales and marketing. Finally, I took a job at a vineyard in Connecticut where I got to learn about wine and food pairings and partner with local businesses. There wasn’t a lot going on in Connecticut, so I began watching Food Network and experimenting in the kitchen with finds from the local farms and markets.

Back in NYC, I enrolled at the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center) with the intention of landing a job in food media. But I soon realized how much I loved being hands-on and experimenting in the kitchen. After graduation, I accepted a position as the resident chef at Miele, a luxury German appliance company. My position at Miele’s showroom allowed me to perform recipe testing and execute events and cooking classes with clients. In this role, I realized how much I loved the personal interaction with clients. I hadn’t even considered a career as a private chef until I had a few clients asking me to help them with dinner parties and small events in their homes.

A few months later, my husband accepted a position in Los Angeles and I decided the move was the best time to get the ball rolling on my own private chef business. Through a friend, I met another local chef, who became my mentor. I started cooking for friends and family to gain confidence and test my recipes. Through my website and word of mouth, I’ve been able to grow my clientele over the past three years. Each client and event presents a fun and interesting challenge.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think some of the biggest challenges for me have been learning to accommodate clients with varying dietary restrictions. The variation of diets in Los Angeles, from Paleo to gluten-free to vegan, seems a lot more prevalent than in New York. I also learned my technique at a classically French institution, which means I am not shy when it comes to using butter or cream! But the weather and lifestyle of Los Angeles has inspired me to alter my recipes to incorporate fresh, healthy, “California-friendly” food.

I also do not do any sort of advertising or marketing, so my business relies heavily on referrals. I put a lot of pressure on myself to exceed my clients’ expectations at every event. In a big city like LA, there is a lot of competition and there are many great new restaurants opening all the time. My clients have a choice between a nice dinner out or hiring me to cook in their home, so it is important for them to realize the value of what I offer.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am a private chef, the sole chef in my company, Chef Courtney Howerton. During the week, I prepare meals for select clients and in the evenings and on weekends, I work with clients to execute private events. All of my menus are customized for each event and I tailor my offerings to each client’s preferences. I am proud of the roster of clients I have accumulated, as I am now in my third year as a private chef in Los Angeles.

I am different than other chefs and catering companies in that I specialize in small, intimate events. The majority of my private events are capped at 12 guests. For me, this creates a more personal experience and allows me to be more creative with my menu offerings since I have more time to focus on each client individually and create a beautiful meal.

Though I am classically-French trained, I am able to accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions and culinary preferences. I ensure that all of my menus are cohesive and reflect my cooking style.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always very quirky and full of energy. I have vivid memories of conducting experiments in the kitchen, and have always been excited and curious about food. My parents have a home video of me at four years old, trying lobster for the first time. We were on a family vacation on the east coast, and I apparently spotted some in a tank at a seafood restaurant and had to try it. My parents were shocked because it is hard enough to get a lot of kids to eat a regular meal, let alone a living crustacean. But I am like that with everything, food-wise. I’ve always been drawn to the more peculiar things to eat and love trying and discovering new things. Traveling has always been important to me for this reason, and has become very important in inspiring my cooking. Eating different things and learning culturally-unique recipes has helped me to develop my palate and introduce new flavors and ideas to my clients.

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