Meet Health Chef Julia — ex- restaurant owner turned private chef and NYC's most fun redhead!
The power of connection. Some may say it was an accident that we met, I'd say it was fate! Julia and I crossed paths almost 2 years ago through our women's networking group, Six Degrees Society. While I thought she was only 18 years old (she looked SO young), I was taken a back to find out not only was she not in college, but she was a power house business-owner.
Before all this.... a few years ago, Julia owned and operated one of my favorite East Village restaurants, Organic Grill, that I would frequent with my roommate at the time. After a while, the stress started to get to her and she unfortunately gave herself shingles. Fast forward, that was when Health Chef Julia, came to life and she became a private chef.
Julia's story is so important because it is a representation of how hard work can sometimes lead to burnout. From this, Julia changed the narrative of her life by finding what would fulfill her — on a daily basis. She is an innovator, an entrepreneur and the wealth of knowledge when it comes to health, wellness and knowing how to fuel your body. I am so proud of her accomplishments so far and can't wait to share her story with you! Happy reading :)
Photo credit: Diana Davis Creative
Questions and Answers:
Q: Are you most productive in the morning, afternoon or night? A: Morning Q: I stay motivated by ....... A: meditating daily, working out daily, and setting a intention and goal daily Q: My best friend would use these three adjectives to describe me…. A: loud, loyal, fun, generous Q: Growing up, when I envisioned my career, I saw myself.... A: in a creative space of some sort but i really only discovered what i wanted to do in life at 28 years old Q: If I could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), it would be... A: Julia Child ! Q: If I were a fruit or vegetable, I'd be.... A: cherry tomato because it is both! Q: Give your best elevator pitch. In at least three or four sentences tell me what you do. A: YOU HAVE THE POWER TO WRITE YOUR OWN STORY AND DEVELOP THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE THAT WILL BRING OUT THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF, AND I WANT TO HELP YOU GET THERE. MY GOAL IS TO INSPIRE YOU TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS BASED ON YOUR HEALTH, YOUR BODY, AND YOUR LIFE. Q: What motivated you to become an entrepreneur? Is having your own business something you always wanted? A: I wanted to make my own schedule and i have never had a corporate job after college i own a family business and I haven't looked back.
Q: How did you come up with your business idea? What inspired you? A:I went to a lot of networking events and met with anyone who would have coffee with me so I could learn all the different routes I could go into after being in hospitality for over 10 years.
Q: What were you doing before this? How did it prepare you for the entrepreneurial life? A: I owned a cafe which is the hardest and most fast pace business you can be in. I learned a-lot about margins, taxes, employees, food costs, budgets, human resources, contracts, events, licensing, and everything under the sun that goes into owning a food business in NYC.
Q: How do you generate new ideas to stay relevant on the market? Is it important to innovate in your space? A: I take cooking classes recreationally, I stay on top of food trends via social and seasonal things. I try learn about holistic trends and different ways of healthy eating
Q: Describe a challenge you've already faced in 2020 and how you handled it. A: Anxiety - traveling to reset and then coming back to so much overwhelming work really gives me anxiety. I try meditating, working out, breathing, and chanting to reset post vacation
Q: What is one way you get to work with individuals or groups within your community?
A: collaborating on events and dinners.
Q: How do you define your best work and what value does your best work bring?
A: a happy and satisfied client brings be all the joy and clarity that what i do is helping someone
Q: What is one of your goals for the new year and how have you begin implementing it into your life already?
A: 2020 goal - Health chefs by Julia - I would like to expand and bring on 10 new health chefs to help people eat healthier nation wide.
Q: What would you tell your 18 year old self today? A: BREATH! it will all work out the way it needs to and college is an extension of high school Q: What is your best advice for someone starting their own business? A:find a good accountant and SEO
Q: For fun... describe your guilty pleasure. A: working out! I am soul cycle junkie and love how it makes me feel post workout Q: Describe your perfect day. A: coffee, workout, co work with neela, go to a client, and then do it all over again
— Julia — you're such a light! Thank you for sharing your insights. Your level of determination in your work and ability to stay relevant is what I admire most about you.
Julia and I co-work together at least 1x week and each time is more exciting than the last . As an entrepreneur, sky is the limit. Being able to collaborate with like-minded individuals and bounce ideas off each other is such a privilege. Remember to always surround yourself with people who inspire you, motivate you and lift you up!
And lastly, if you're ever looking for a NYC based chef — reach out to Julia and her team @healthchefbyJulia!
To read more articles from Neela, visit the blog!
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