Meet Trent Johnson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trent Johnson.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Trent. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Around the age of 23 years old, I was diagnosed with pre-hypertension and was pre-diabetic. In all honesty, this news scared me tremendously as I had never considered my health could have been that bad that young. Like most in their early 20’s, we feel invincible.

After receiving this news, I began studying food for the purposes of health and overall fitness. Trying out recipes week after week. Over time, I began studying cooking techniques, various cuisines, plating, and even food photography. Thanks to social media, I would post some of my creations and would get a lot of inquiries for people asking me to cook for them.

In December 2015, I launched the first part of my business “Modern Soul Meal Prep.” It was a meal prep service that re-presented comfort foods in a healthy and fitness-friendly way. I continued this service for a little over a year and stopped as I felt my creativity was being stifled with the limited options of ‘healthy food.’

I took two years off from the business portion. During this time, I began taking cooking classes, traveling and studying various cuisines from other countries, attended food tastings, practicing cooking techniques at home, hosting small food tasting with family and friends, and most importantly meditating on what new business would look like.

After lots of planning, I relaunched my business as “Trent J Gourmet” in December of 2018. Gourmet is defined as the use of exotic ingredients, or professional cooking and preparation techniques. Coupled with a bit of my personality, I design my menus to compliment any given event to curate Great Food and Great Vibes!

I offer In-home Private Dining, Select Catering, Cooking Classes (coming soon), Meal Prep, and occasional food reviews for restaurants I visit here in Houston and around the globe.

Through this, I’m able to maintain my hunger to create food and menus that are challenging, unique, and exciting. Each menu and experience is completely different, and I take pride and joy in bringing my clients along this food journey.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooooth roooooad?! Absolutely not. My journey has been like driving down a bad Houston road full of potholes and road debris. The biggest lesson that I learned between 2015 and 2018 was that I needed to be in control of my vision, and let my personal aspirations and passions drive where I wanted it to go. For the longest, I thought all of the social media inquiries were a ‘calling’ on my life to do what folks were asking when in actuality, none of them really turned into customers anyway.

The time I spent away from the business after the first trial at meal prep was the most valuable as I was no longer under the weekly pressure to produce for clients, but I could brainstorm, create, cook in peace and truly put my full expression into my food.

Everything has been such a learning curve as I’m not classically trained, or have any formal culinary education. It’s been trial and error! Some dishes look great and taste awful. Some, look awful and taste immaculate. Some do not deserve to see the light of day. Wrestling with the need to make sure I had ‘credentials’ before I began weighed me down for quite some time. Then I realized, I had everything I needed. Once I realized I didn’t have to be the best to start, and I was ok with learning along the way, the world was now mine.

I’ve enjoyed the ups and downs of first becoming a chef, and secondly becoming a business owner. As much as each request brings me a bit of anxiety, I’m relieved once I turn the first burner on and began preparing the meal(s) for my clients.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Trent J Gourmet – what should we know?
As mentioned earlier, Trent J Gourmet is a Gourmet Food Experience created to help bring clients on a food journey. I aim to not simply cook and prepare meals to their liking but match them with occasions, and seasons, and vibes that may be important for any particular event I may be solicited for.

The phrase Great Food, Great Vibes, came from my personal belief that good food makes you dance. I’m a pretty spiritual guy, and I understand the spiritual contentedness that comes from sharing food or ‘breaking bread’ with another human being. Great negotiations, relationships, and reunions are not complete without a complimentary meal to help two or more people relax in each other presence.

That’s the goal of each one of my events. I want the food and/or drinks that are prepared to help lift your spirit, to invigorate your mood, and help to enhance your time with your company for that particular meal. It’s more than just food on a plate, this is a food journey: Great Food, Great Vibes.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Well, ultimately, God deserves all the credit for this one. Never in my life did I ever think cooking would become a passion or business for myself. As I’ve never been set out on this path at all. I just always loved to eat. 🙂

However, my mom and dad who were some of my original taste testers have been extremely supportive as I volunteer to try a new dish when the family is together. Additionally, my uncle who is a secret tastemaker believe it or not with a keen ability to identify flavors and foods in dishes no matter how well they are mixed.

Also, my social media chef and foodie community. Following so many restaurants, food bloggers, chefs, celebrity chefs, and even cooking networks has truly played a huge part in how I view food, in how I ensure I’m different, and sometimes, just being reassured that there are other people in the world that love food just as much as I do.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/trentjgourmet
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/trentjgourmet

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.