Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Velez.
Hi Alyssa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always had a passion for cooking, baking, and just being in the kitchen in general. When I was growing up, I wanted to go to culinary school but never did. Instead, I went down the traditional college path and earned a Master’s Degree in Education, which led me to become a teacher. Throughout my teaching career, I learned that it was not my true passion and that I belong in the kitchen.
I cook for my friends and family often and they always tell me that I should use my talents to become a chef or start a food truck, so that idea has always been in the back of my mind. I decided to reach out to a friend and started helping him out in the kitchen with his meal prep company and he always encouraged me to embark on my own journey, so that is exactly what I did! I started selling hot plates of food and catering events for locals and have received great feedback. I am hoping to expand in the near future and eventually would love to own my own specialty taco food truck. My story started as just the name AlyssaCooks being thrown around by close friends, but has now grown into something so much more!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Getting to where I am today has not been an easy road, but nothing worth having ever is. My biggest struggle was not doing what I loved from the beginning but instead falling into the traditional college to a career path that most people fall into. I had to venture down many different career paths before realizing that cooking was my true passion and was something that I could potentially see myself doing for the rest of my life. A lot of time and money was spent trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life, but this has all been a learning experience. I eventually became a teacher with a Masters Degree, but this was not something that fulfilled me. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out that the kitchen is truly where I want to and am meant to be.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Currently, I am working to come up with creative recipes to gain the attention of my followers on all social media platforms. I specialize in making out-of-the-box specialty tacos, which is what I am known for among my friends, family, and social media audience. I have made a variety of funky tacos including a buffalo mac and cheese taco and a chicken and waffle taco (yum!) that have both been a hit among my taste testers.
Although I specialize in tacos, I am always trying new recipes, putting my own twist and flair on them. When I am in the kitchen, I feel as though it is a place where I can express myself with no rules or guidelines, I just get in the zone and cook. My dream is to own my own food truck, serving up tacos of all kinds. I am most proud of my ability to take on the challenges that I have faced, turning them into something that others can enjoy. I am a self-taught chef with no formal training, and I truly believe that I am great at what I do! What sets me apart from others is my determination to power through anything that comes my way. No matter how hard I may fall sometimes, I am always going to get back up push even harder.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I feel as though the most important quality that I possess is the ability to adapt to new situations and my drive and determination to step out of my box and start my own business. My passion for cooking and putting out quality food for people to enjoy is what keeps me going on this journey. I thoroughly enjoy watching people enjoy eating my food! It is the confirmation that drives me to keep going, getting better and better one meal at a time.
Pricing:
- Weekly hot plates $13-$15
- Catering events $15+ per person
Contact Info:
- Email: avelezcatering@gmail.com
- Instagram: @alyssa.cooks_
- Twitter: @alyssacooks_
- Other: TikTok: @alyssa.cooks_
Image Credits
Alyssa Velez Cameron Dieudonne
