Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Randall.
Hi Catherine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m Catherine, pastry chef of Chef-Catherine. My story starts with a deep and lasting passion for pastry: from those first recipes I sensed that this craft is not just about technique but about emotion, taste and connection. I followed a demanding training path in Switzerland and the United States to master the fundamentals, glazes, mousses, textures, finishes. After several years in rigorous kitchens where quality and creativity were essential, I decided to launch Chef-Catherine in 2020 to embody my vision: small-batch creations, consciously selected ingredients, an artisanal approach with the ambition to surprise and delight. Shortly afterwards I had the pleasure of Jean-François joining the journey; his years of experience in strategy and logistics brought exactly what the brand needed to structure itself, manage growth and set up the right processes. Today we share a common vision for the future: remain true to our DNA while making smart choices to grow. Our first major move in this next phase is the launch of our website. It will serve as our showcase, our direct channel to customers, and the digital foundation for the months ahead. You can find us at https://chef-catherine.com.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Ingredient shocks tested us, with cocoa hitting record highs after poor West African harvests, and eggs swinging with the avian influenza crisis. We chose to reformulate carefully and buy smarter rather than cut quality. Staffing remained tight across the industry, so we invested in training and systems to let a small team scale while keeping our small-batch soul. Compliance mattered too, understanding when Texas cottage food rules apply versus full retail requirements and labeling, and meeting farmers market standards. Houston heat and humidity make chocolate tempering and transport tricky, so we adjusted production windows and our cold chain. We also chose more responsible packaging even when it costs more for small producers, so we redesigned SKUs to reduce waste while staying true to our values.”
My story is also one of resilience and family. A month after our son Marcello was born, my husband Rolando suffered a sudden cardiac arrest that left him quadriplegic with a severe brain injury and in need of lifelong care. With the unwavering support of my parents, I built a loving, stable home for Marcello while continuing my pastry career and shaping Chef-Catherine’s future. Cardiac arrest survivorship often includes lasting neurological disability, and family caregivers carry heavy, ongoing responsibilities. That chapter taught me focus, compassion, and discipline, and those same qualities guide how I run the kitchen, mentor our team, and plan for sustainable growth.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m the pastry chef behind Chef-Catherine in Houston. We craft refined, small-batch pastries with natural ingredients, grounded in classical technique and years spent in professional kitchens. That foundation shapes everything, from how we build flavor to how we finish a glaze.
What we do. We bake cookies, bars, brownies, seasonal loaves, quiches and granola with the same focus on precision and balance. Many guests first discover us through our bright, lemony cookies, our gluten-friendly maple granola and our deep, chocolate-forward brownies, then stay for the care we put into every detail across the menu.
What sets us apart. We keep production intentionally small to protect texture, freshness and consistency. We also pursue a lighter footprint with more compostable paper, less plastic and pragmatic packaging choices, because craft and conscience belong together.
What we’re known for and proud of. Elegant finishes, restrained sweetness and ingredient quality. My training in rigorous kitchens taught me discipline and hospitality, and that spirit lives inside a nimble, human-scale brand. Guests can expect precise technique, natural ingredients and warm service, whether they meet us at a market, a partner café or through convenient pre-orders and special requests.
How do you think about luck?
Luck has been both a headwind and a tailwind in my life and business. I respect the role of randomness, yet I also believe you can raise your odds by how you operate. That means showing up, talking to people, testing often, staying open and curious, and turning setbacks into design problems. Psychologists and career researchers call this planned happenstance, and their work echoes what I have lived in the kitchen. The best example is very personal. My best luck was that Jean-François joined me. With two of us, we move faster and go farther because our skills and networks complement each other and the support system is stronger on hard days. Team research suggests that complementary cofounders tend to outperform solo efforts on average, even while skill and disciplined systems still matter enormously. That is how we run Chef-Catherine today. We do the rigorous work that lets us recognize a good break when it appears, and we build processes that protect the house when bad luck hits.
Pricing:
- Brownies and bars: usually $5 to $6 per piece for premium chocolate recipes
- Six-pack cookies: commonly $12 to $13 depending on flavor and finish
- Granola: 8 oz bags generally $9 to $12 retail
- Individual quiches: often $7 to $9 each, whole quiches priced by size and filling
- Pumpkin Loaf Single • 7.5 oz • $9 Soft and warmly spiced
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chef-catherine.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefcatherinerodriguez/
- Facebook: Coming soon
