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Yum Yum Chef’s Owner Vanessa Cantave discusses what drove her to leave Wall Street to start a small business.
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Leonidas saying -- any money.
That might be the motto of our next guest she left a career in the banking industry.
To become a chef and ended up opening her own company tonight small business spotlight celebrity chef and small business owner of the next -- Now in fact is the perfect time to start your own business Vanessa welcome TO.
I made about this unbelievable spread and we'll get to this and this moment but first how did you become a shot I mean you left.
The private workforce that could -- you basically start from business to take big risks so tell me about that transition.
While I was in banking and I was working in the Federal Reserve Bank down in Atlanta I had done FDIC a lot of regulatory staff after I left college.
And then I got -- advertising and I got to New York I was working at -- will be big firm here and I was really excited but I had this passion for food.
And so I was a little nervous to transition and I actually -- tell people I knock over two a open house that they were having at the French Culinary Institute.
Didn't tell anyone and when I got there I fell in love and I ended up leaving my job and so imagine -- sort of straddle wine industry into the next in today cooking industry because I mean a huge risk to take especially considering.
What we witness with the financial markets and the economy over the last three years it was really scary but you know when I was in Washington DC.
It was one thing when I was in Atlanta Georgia it was another thing but if you are foudy.
And you left food and you move to New York City.
You can't you can't even deny at this it's -- such an amazing talent for food.
And I I I had to parliament passed.
And your passion started when I would imagine when you're young child so why did it take you a couple careers -- -- into Europe for I was raised in one of those families where culinary school doesn't feel like a professional job so I was really -- to go to like.
Undergraduate a get a bachelor's degree and so culinary school wasn't something I thought I can tell my hand this is what I really wanna do.
You know when you're seventeen years old so.
I sort of followed the the past I was led to OK but I would imagine some of your experience working for the Fed.
As well how is the banking industry even advertising TV a really strong foundation for going -- -- so what's what.
Skills and -- have you brought over I would definitely you know working in marketing working in banking and makes you so much smarter when you wanna become a small business -- like that help people like life is cumulative.
But even I had to learn everything as it relates to the food world.
I brought with me all this really great information and knowledge about marketing so how to market my business.
Finance how to make sure it's profitable so definitely so we're.
Arguing all day seems like weeks now about small business and what the proper role for government should be in August and certainty is -- uncertainty or is it just.
Small business owners hoarding cash you've also got the union issue -- percolating out -- so.
Kind of processing all these things -- -- have to -- like how many employees you have to have hiring plans because we'll get to the spread you brought here but this is a lot for one woman.
If you could benefit it's really I have five.
Permanent employees but the thing about my business is that I can outsource like all of my service staff here in New York we do a lot of events and so there's a lot of people you can call on and you don't have to really worry about what two point 100 people.
You can have like five -- people who -- doing a lot of here.
Back office and then you can really hired people we need and those people your outsourcing you don't have to cover their benefits now.
-- they work for companies that covenant and that's the strategy at small business as of all these other in -- broader pressure so let's talk about this beautiful spread I mean these are some of your creations at.
I should know more about cooking I did not -- -- and it just let you guide us through it well what I brought today was I wanted to show updated ideas for summer entertaining so.
Here in the back we have you know -- -- double that is.
And these are truffle double bags so these have bacon on a little bit at paragon here you have vegetarian you have that special gun to get these you at all perfect after I did.
-- been asking us to pick up individual eggs each one that is now -- -- that's beautiful.
-- that when it has like and I think that hair gone on is.
And baked in on the same weekend OK just a couple of seconds and I know you're on cooking show on Bravo -- -- kitchen is that what it's all -- goes dinner party -- -- dinner party and what a great experience that is they're really spreading your wings thank you so much Vanessa ice -- is wonderful desert camp.
