Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindy Xenidis
Lindy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
To begin I’m a mother of three unbelievable children & a wife to an absolutely amazing man. . I found interest in cooking at a very young age. My first interest started in baking cheesecake to be exact. From there anything baking was my interest. Then came cooking. My parents had divorced when I was 12 & my mother & I moved to the Bay Area. Not long after I was in a bad car accident. All these changes in my life started causing a lot of anxiety for me. I found myself constantly trying to cope with these new changes and anxieties and that’s when I took a huge interest in cooking. I found it so calming and it was really bringing out my creative side. Depending on what you’re creating in the kitchen some things really take a hold of your mind and allow you to think of nothing else. Which for me at that time was incredibly therapeutic. I would constantly find myself daydreaming about what dish I could try next, what new creation could I come up with and share it with my mom. She would always encourage me & help build my confidence. My father absolutely lived for food! He too was very encouraging and supportive always offering encouragement and from time to time constructive criticism which did really help me grow. From there I just never stopped, Seeing people enjoy what I created was really filling an empty space inside of me with joy and confidence. Since then I’ve taught myself the way of so many different cuisines. During the start of Covid I started something I call “Around The World Dining”. It started with my children I would place a world globe in front of them. I would then blind fold them and spin the globe. They would blindly stop the globe with they’re finger and where ever they landed that’s what we would cook. We would take a couple of days to prep then present a huge spread from that country for a group of friends. I would have to say to date I think Japan was one of our top favorites! We did so many different countries & so many different dishes it was such a memorable time for our family and friends. As far as starting my catering company I wanted to enjoy as much time as possible with our children before I leaped into such a demanding line of work. Our oldest & middle children have taken a huge interest in cooking which really fills my heart. Our youngest is almost there she’s to busy filling my heart with so many other amazing things at the moment! Cooking to me is an art that truly comes from the heart & it has to come naturally for people to really enjoy it. As far as Lindy Lu’s Kitchen well our menu is rather large. It’s difficult for me to narrow down the options I feel I’m really capable of. I want people to look at our menu and know what ever they choose will be packed with not only freshness but extreme flavor! I pride myself on flavor it’s a very important part of my creations. And if what your looking for isn’t on the menu don’t hesitate to ask because I can likely make it. Bottom line I live to cook! It’s my true calling.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Catering is never smooth. It’s always a challenge so in this line of work you’ve always got to be up for a challenge. Which is the one thing that fuels me. I’d say the biggest hurdle was just launching the business. Getting myself out there. Meeting new people and stepping out of my comfort zone from time to time. I feel from a clients perspective they’re reaching out because they don’t want the stress that comes along with pulling together a menu for their guest. This is where patience and understanding comes in for any chef. This is what we do daily. We accommodate and help make this potion of planning less stressful. Being in the kitchen can be very overwhelming at times however as a chef I’ve trained myself to stay balanced, calm & understanding. Tell me what you want, how you want it presented and trust that I will do everything in my power to make it an unforgettable experience.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My life as a caterer allows me to specialize is a wide range of things. In the kitchen there’s a constant light bulb going off. What if I add this, what if I add that? There’s no limitation to creativity when you’re a chef. However the job extends beyond the kitchen. On location presentation is everything! You must know the type of event, color scheme so on so forth. For the most part it’s up to you to help create a memorable spread for the client. I feel very accomplished and confident in these two areas. I love themes! My mind is constantly circulating around new and creative ideas for all types of occasions. If I had to choose something about myself that sets me apart from others I’d have to say I always try to put myself in the clients place. I try to connect with them enough that I can see their vision and create it just as they visioned it.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
A happy client! When a client is happy and content this means I did everything they expected. To me this is top priority! Letting down a client is and never will be acceptable for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lindyluskitchen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindyluskitchen?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
Philip Hatten
Jeff Coggin’s
