Today we’d like to introduce you to Stevie Brown.
Hi Stevie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As far back as I can remember I have always loved food in all its forms. I have always loved eating food, watching food being made, and learning about different food and cooking techniques. Then, the other half of my life has been athletics. I grew up playing all sports but excelled in one, football. I received a football scholarship to the University of Michigan, and as my years went by there, I was taught healthy nutrition, and I gained first-hand experience in how eating certain foods would help me play better and perform with a better mental mindset based on what I ate.
Fast Forward to three years after college. I am in my third NFL season, and I am now playing for the New York Football Giants in what you can arguably call the food capital of America. While living in New York and playing for the Giants, I had opportunities to meet great chefs such as Guy Fieri, Aaron May, Carlos Ruiz, Aiden Burke, and many more. They all, at different points in my life, taught me how to make a couple of different food dishes, educated me about food, and showed techniques on how to make flavorful food and be able to serve it fast after being ordered.
After my 6-year NFL career was over, I moved to Houston to be close to family and start my post-career life. I originally opened a food truck by the name of Phreshplate and did meal prep. I took the knowledge I have gained from many of my chef friends and a lot of trial and error to create “Healthy Food With Flavor” for the truck. It was how I had already been eating most of my NFL career. Also, while I was running the food truck, I was working as a personal trainer. Full Days and Full Nights for me, but everything that I was doing was about being healthy and fit. Unfortunately, COVID came, and I had to close the food truck, but I still continued to be a personal trainer.
Now, I still continue to prep meals, but more for myself and my family. But I have moved into not only cooking healthy food with flavor but to also expanding and exploring all my culinary talents. My Instagram has become my canvas to showcase my culinary talents. I am currently moving into the realm of online cookbooks, recipe websites, and fitness training website. This is a lifestyle no diets here for continued and sustained success.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road. As I stated early, when Covid hit, I had to close the food truck, and that was a setback. Training has its ups and downs. Working with people of all age ranges learning how/ who to push was a learning curve for me in the beginning after working with athletes.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a personal trainer and a chef. As a personal trainer, I specialize in functional weight training. With my athletic background, mobility, strength, and mindset are what I specialize in. As a chef, I specialize in learning. Sounds interesting to say it like that but as a self-taught chef, there’s nothing that I am not willing to try to cook or a technique I am afraid to try.
When my clients come train with me, they know they will be getting a workout that will have a lot of volume, but weights won’t overwhelm you. As a client, you will get cardio and a good weightlifting workout all in one. In the kitchen, I know big flavors. If I tell you this is what the dish is, you will taste exactly that. My Midwest roots combined with Southern flavors describe how I approach food.
Keeping my clients happy and achieving their goals is what I am most proud of in the training world. I have two clients that get my most proud moments. I had a young woman come train with me before her wedding. I was able to get her down 20lbs and 4in off her final fitting in 4 months. I had another client who was trying to get into West Point. He could not get one pull-up when we first started, and after 5 months of work, he was able to get eight pull-ups.
In both fields what sets me apart is I have the ability to say I don’t know. I can admit if I don’t know something and I think that sets me apart because even though I might not know right then, I will go study and research until I do. I will not make anyone do an exercise until I can walk a client through it in my sleep and in the kitchen; I will not act like I know how to do everything. Knowledge is power, and keeping the mind always learning sets me apart.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Do not be afraid to ask questions. The most cliche saying is “A close mouth doesn’t get fed,” might be the most true statement out there. It will be very hard to get someone to randomly walk up to you and say you need help. If you want to get help or work with someone, simply asking goes a long way.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @steviebrown_27
