Today we’d like to introduce you to Terence James.
Hi Terence, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
First off, I am Terence aka Chef Terence J, the journey of becoming a chef first started in high school; where I enrolled in a Culinary Arts magnet program. There is where I learned my core culinary skills: knife skills (Julienne, Batonnet, Brunoise, etc.), mother sauces (Bechamel, Hollandaise, Veloute, etc.), how to break down proteins, and kitchen sanitation.
As my journey progressed, I swayed onto a different path where I wanted to fight the “man” and started studying Criminology. However; I still always found myself working in the kitchen. When school wasn’t going the way I wanted, I decided to go back to what I knew best and loved. That is when my culinary journey really kicked off, I worked in catering for Florida State University for almost four years. I then migrated to working within a restaurant, where the environment was at a different speed, from ongoing tickets to different kinds of teamwork. Eventually, I went back to catering, then the pandemic hit and that gave life to the Chef Terence J brand.
In August 2020, I moved to Houston for a fresh start and a new environment. Since I migrated here; I have grown my business, servicing parties as large as 100 people; expanded my brand’s online presence, gained more following on my social media platforms; and networked throughout Houston’s entrepreneur scene.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like any other business, there are always ups and downs. Some of my challenges include figuring out my marketing strategies, recruiting clientele, and putting out good, eye-catching content on social media.
When I first moved to Houston, I was building my brand from ground zero because I didn’t have much of a presence yet. The lack of Houston followers, connections, and clientele was discouraging but staying persistent, posting on social media, networking, and honing my craft has grown my brand.
We’ve been impressed with Chef TerenceJ, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am Chef Terence J, I use 10+ years of culinary experience to provide my clients with a luxurious and exclusive culinary experience. By cooking with high-quality ingredients and providing a 5-star upscale restaurant experience all in the comfort of their home.
I am skilled in a variety of cuisine: Southern, Tex-Mex, Italian, Latin, Caribbean, and Mediterranean.
What sets me apart from others is my style of cooking which I’ve named, “CARIBBEAN SOUL”. Being from Miami Dade County, which a lot of people don’t really consider to be a part of the south, I was surrounded by diverse cultures from Latin to the Caribbean. So “Caribbean Soul” is a melting pot of all the cultural cuisines; (Jamaican, Haitian, Cuban, Bahamian, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Soul Food, etc.), because cultural diversity is a core part of what Miami is, and who I am. I would like the people of Houston to know that.
Contact Info:
- Website: ChefTerenceJ.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefterencej/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChefTerenceJ
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terence-james-5989a484/
