August 19, 2020
August 19, 2020 - A Note from Chef Traci
First of all, this week we reached a new milestone: 10,000 FREE meals prepared and delivered since March 13, 2020!!! With no end of the pandemic in sight, we remain committed to serving our community as long as we are able!!!
Recently on a call with my coach, she said something that resonated and that I’ve acted upon: I need to go about the business of “living and giving”. I didn’t realize it until she said it that this is the way I’ve always run my business. Giving is possible because of the way I was living. One of the biggest shifts in my thinking is that I accept I am not in the large catering and events industry at this point in time. So instead of wishing and hoping that the world returns to normal ASAP, I accept that my former way of being in business is no longer relevant and that I must shift my thinking to what business I am CURRENTLY in. Rather than feel overwhelmed, I experienced feelings of, dare I say, joy! I was already in motion doing the next thing. I didn’t have to reinvent - I had done that back in March when the stay at home order was issued. The feelings of overwhelm were unnecessary. I had shifted my business to one of non-profit service, but my brain hadn’t caught up with me yet. It sounds crazy - all of these thoughts occur in the same brain. But if we’re looking at the current problems, and trying to see further down the road, we miss what is happening in real time.
Here is how I am shifting my business:
We prepare and deliver prepared meals to seniors sheltering in place and to people living homeless. This program, I call Nourished Neighborhood version 2.0, is possible by way of contributions from friends and strangers alike. New way of being in business: I filed for and received a non-profit status in the State of Washington to continue this meal program with new sources for funding available.
My first food business was as a private and personal chef. (A private chef works for one dedicated customer, a personal chef has multiple customers.) With this experience, I started the free meal program for seniors. New way of being in business: I am selling prepared meals with a new menu every week.
In 2011 I started a specialty food line of sauces, syrups, jams and spice rubs. I stopped producing products in 2015 and focused on building a catering business. New way of being in business: Renewing my bottling license, producing my best sellers (Whiskey bbq sauce and Pecan Praline Sauce) and collaborating with Ras at Herban Farm NW to bottle a special bbq sauce using his hot peppers!
In 2012-2013 I started leading tours of Pike Place Market coupled with cooking classes. I absolutely LOVE this part of my business. Covid ended those in-person experiences, for now. New way of being in business: Offering virtual tours of the Market coupled with shipped boxes of ingredients sourced from Pike Place Market. It’s a great way to share my knowledge AND my favorite products from the Market, while supporting some of the smaller day stall vendors.
Back in 2003 I produced my first cookbook, called Meals to Remember. It was a way to capture my mom’s recipes before Alzheimer’s totally stole them away. I opened up the opportunity to other families dealing with dementia to contribute and self-published a beautiful tribute of time-tested recipes honoring so many loved ones. New way of doing business: Completing my second cookbook: the Nourished Neighborhood Cookbook.
As you can see, we may not be able to operate like we used to, but I’ve found plenty to keep me busy and a way to continue contributing to my community!
How you can support our Nourished Neighborhood program: Make a contribution, provide an in-kind donation of food and/or packaging, purchase a Prepared Meal which is a way to pay-it-forward, send us good vibes that we remain healthy and able, or follow us on Instagram and/or Facebook.
May kindness lead the way,
Traci