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Hi! I'm Chef Shelley.

Want to kicka** this week?

Published about 1 month ago • 2 min read

from the desk of Chef Shelley

personal chef business info and inspo

Here's how to have a productive-as-hell week.

Plan the things you're going to do instead of showing up each day and figuring it out on the fly!

Put the stuff you know you must do on your calendar in a time block with a DESCRIPTION of what you will actually do.

Not "work on biz".

Make it so clear and simple about what you'll accomplish that you don't even trigger your panic/lazy/procrastination brain. That brain likes to sit there and "ponder" where to start and what "good enough" actually means.

You know where to start? Where you told yourself you would when you created the plan.

You know when you're done? When you do what you said you would do.

Planning isn't about plugging huge chunks of time on your calendar named things like "work on personal chef business."

That's not planning.

It's an invitation to wonder about what you should work on, what you "feel like doing," and then going and grabbing a snack to think.

On my calendar, it would say,

  • “Pull 20 summer seasonal entrees from collection and email list to clients.” And I’d have a 60-minute time block.
  • "Send July cook day confirmations to all clients. Send email to wait/prospect list with July openings.” And I’d have a 60-minute time block.
  • “Create 3 posts for Instagram focusing on personal chef services with CTA for July openings” - 60 minutes”

Now THAT is planning. My brain doesn't need to be creative about what I meant. It now can just get to work.

Salmon Cakes

This salmon cake recipe is a client favorite. Minimal filler, zesty lemon, and fresh herbs make it perfect for warmer weather.

1 1/4 # skinless salmon, chopped into 1/4" pieces or process in 3 batches about 2 pulses

3 T panko plus coating

2 T parsley

2 T mayo

Zest from 1/2 lemon

1 t dijon

3/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

​

safflower oil or other neutral oil

​

Sauce:

1/2 c mayo

1 T capers

zest 1/2 lemon

1 T parsley

1 T dill

1/2 scallion, minced

​

  1. Mix salmon cake ingredients.
  2. Divide into 8 cakes and coat in panko.
  3. Heat thin layer of oil in 12 inch pan and cook cakes until golden, flip gently and cook until other side is golden.

On the stove next...

Father's day is Sunday and I'm taking it easy and picking up BBQ from my dad's favorite place in Dallas ten50 bbq. I'm trying to decide which of these salad to make...what's your vote?

pic from Allrecipes

pic from Mad About Food

pic from Food Network

I am ALWAYS in the market for a great read or recipe. Hit reply right now and share one of your favorites with me. I'll be reading/cooking it by this weekend!

Great chat. Can't wait to do it again.
​
​In the meantime, plan it, name it, time block it and remember that small, consistent steps beat trying to take a huge leap and then doing nothing for weeks.

Cheers 🍷
Chef Shelley

P.S. If you're not moving forward starting your personal chef business or you're struggling to get fully booked with clients, that’s exactly what we do inside the Academy. Online training + community + 1-on-1 coaching. You don't have to try to do this alone. Not in the Academy yet? Let’s fix that.
​Join us here and build your successful personal chef biz the easy way.

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Hi! I'm Chef Shelley.

I help passionate cooks start a personal chef business they love.

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