ISSUES #22: MAY 2016
CHEF HAPPENS..
our conversation with Private Chef
Vernon R. Heard
Just talking to Chef Q got me kinda hungry. When I scrolled through the pics of meals she's preferred (aka "Chefisms") it really got worse. Quiana 'Chef Q' Jeffries makes food look like art. It's almost safe to say that she is the 'Chef To The Stars" as she has, so far, worked with celebrity lifestyle coach Tony Gaskins and is currently the private chef for Floyd Mayweather. Not a bad gig if you can get it. Chef Q was gracious enough to make some time in her schedule to sit and talk about her origins, nutrition and some really, really good food. Bon appetit.
@chefism
So let's jump right into it, Q. What got you interested in cooking and culinary arts?
Actually it was my great grandmother. She's from Louisiana and used to cook ALL the time. For every holiday, every family gathering,.. any event related to food and family, she took on the cooking duties. She cooked soul food and Creole style. I can remember when I was 10 years old, she brought me into the kitchen and that's where it all began. She gave me my foundation. What's funny is, she never had a recipe book. She just KNEW ingredients and measurements off the head. Even after all these years, no one has any of her recipes written down.
I took cooking later in high school and, along swith sports, got more invested and interested. From there my passion just grew.
So you came up the OLD SCHOOL way, huh? You don't hear that storyline much these days. You're also a formally trained chef, right? When did you become "official"?
When I got out of high school, I tried to do something in sports. In 2003, I enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu culinary arts school in Pasadena, CA. That's where my formal training began. With going to culinary arts school, my passion just quadrupled. I already knew HOW to cook but Le Cordon Bleu just opened my eyes to a lot more of the landscape... like, the French approach to cooking and more techniques, nutrition and flavors, and just how to do more. Le Cordon Bleu put the nail in it for me.
Your job as s private chef, is that what you've done since you graduated? What was your path to get to what you do now?
When I got out of school, my goal, at the end of the day, was to be a personal chef or private chef. Or maybe have my own catering company. I'm not so much into working in the restaurant and hotel arena. That's where I actually started. I started off in hotels, then I went to restaurants, then I went to non-profit shelters, back to restaurants. That's where I really learned my timing and my craft was honed even more.
Later, I started working at other catering companies. That got me more onto the path of starting my own catering company. Within starting my own catering company, I started getting small side jobs to be a private chef for a handful of clients. This was perfect as it put me on the path to my ultimate goal.
So how did the Mayweather gig come about?
It's crazy how this all came about. Social media played a big role in this direction I've taken. I initially did a private chef engagement with life coach Tony Gaskins. The work with Tony was acquired through Instagram, of all places. What's funny is that I was referred to Tony by someone on Instagram I'd NEVER EVEN MET!! Initially I worked for Tony as a one-off preparing some appetizers for an event. He already had a private chef that traveled with him. I did the appetizers job and Tony posted pics of the food on his Instagram for ONE DAY and I got sooooo many requests from people for me to cook for them. It was nuts.
Also, Tony loved my food so much that one week he gave his chef a paid week off and I cooked for him. Tony posted pics of some of the meals I prepared on Instagram. Someone from Floyd's camp follows Tony and passed on my info to Floyd. They called me on a Tuesday and I went out to Vegas the next day. And I've been his private chef ever since. It was initially supposed to be a two-month job while he was training for a fight last year. But
From a health and nutrition standpoint, what's your take on the contrast between traditional Soul Food cooking and nutritional cooking? Do you try to bridge the gap as a culinary artist or do you kinda stick to the formula to focus on nutrition only? I guess my point is that sometimes when people hear "nutritious" they automatically assume that they have to compromise on flavor but when you hear Soul Food it's all about flavor and spices and butter and, maybe, not so healthy stuff.
What I do is I try to take food, say if it IS Soul Food, and try to make a healthier version of it. Instead of using pork, or bacon grease or a lot of salt, I try to make Soul Food dishes where they're healthy but are still flavorful through herbs and spices. It's Soul Food but it's not. Like you said, when you think of Soul Food you think of fattening and you think lard or unhealthy food that's gonna put you to sleep. But with herbs and spices and reducing the amount of salt included I get some great tasting food that is well received. I also don't use a lot of pork. I use smoked turkey. The only TRUE Soul Food dishes that I don't/can't do that with are fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. Nothing else really gives the full effect of fried chicken like actually frying it. I will, however, replace lard with coconut oil and less salt and more healthy ingredients overall.
Chef Q with the champ and her current client, Floyd Mayweather
after the training camp was over, he loved my cooking and my personality so much, he kept me on as his private chef. It's been 9 months and counting.
You travel with him and you're the go-to for all things edible?
Yeah, I travel with him all the time unless he wants to give me a break. LOL. I've traveled all around the U.S. with him. Not out of the country yet but after the Pacquiao fight we're taking a trip out of the U.S.
How do you promote your business?
I do a lot of networking and exchanging business cards. I promote myself through Facebook and Instagram also. The biggest and best promotion tool for me though has been word of mouth. A lot of referrals. That's how a lot of people contacted me. Now that I'm with the Mayweather camp it's a bit different but that's been my strategy.
What about family? You married? Single? Kids? Siblings?
Not married. No kids. I have an identical twin sister. That's about it. Just me and her.
Chef Q and her twin sis.
24-7 on call? That sounds demanding. Like working at the White House..
Yeah, but there are a lot of perks working with Floyd. And I'm not working all day long.
So, you live on site with Floyd or do you have your own place?
I have my own place. Basically, I live right down the street from Floyd.
Are there any other celebrities you've cooked for, so far?
Not really. I mentioned, I cooked for Tony Gaskins; also K. Michelle. Like I said, not too many. Not yet, anyway.
CHEF Q
Twitter: @chefismq
Instagram: @chefism
Facebook: quiana chef q jeffries
You're from Los Angeles, correct?
I was born in Compton, CA. Raised in Compton until I was about 8 years old. Then we moved to Gardena, CA where we've lived ever since.
What would you say is your favorite thing about working for yourself and your favorite thing about the career path that you chose?
As far as the career I chose, I would say the one-on-one experience is a favorite. It's more intimate and personal versus working in a restaurant or cooking at a shelter. Being a personal chef I get to experiment on different dishes and expand my and my clients' horizons. I mean, of course, he tells me what he likes and doesn't like to eat, but I can offer more variety and have more flexibility as a private chef that I wouldn't have working in a restaurant.
As far as working for myself, I like that my schedule is kind of liquid and not really set. I cook, of course, whenever Floyd wants something and I'm on 24-hour call but I love it versus reporting in for an 8-hour shift. I like having a specific skill that allows me to make a week's pay while not having to work 40-60 hours to get there. I'm doing something I love and I can make a career of it. Best of all, I get paid what my value is.
Best of luck to this clearly talented young lady. Clearly fate is on your side. Rise. Shine. Repeat.
v. ray
#positiveblack
