Today we’d like to introduce you to Alma Fernanda Regalado.
Alma, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t in the kitchen. My story starts very young experimenting with different recipes and helping my family whenever I could with cooking. I started studying a Bachelor in Nutrition but realized that that path just didn’t make me happy. After some deep thinking and a semester abroad in Argentina, I moved to the Gastronomy capital of Mexico, Mexico City, and studied at the Le Cordon Bleu Mexico City, where I graduated with a Bachelor in Business Gastronomy.
I was a private chef in San Diego for about five years. At first, it was just a fun summer job during college vacations, but after graduating college it turned into a full time job. I slowly started incorporating different small catering events and then moved onto my cooking workshops. First one every couple of months at my sister’s house, then one every month at a client’s house and now three to four every week in San Diego and Tijuana.
I currently balance my one woman operation between being a private chef, cooking workshops, catering events, and cheese and charcuterie tables.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have to say my road has been very smooth from the moment I decided I wanted to be a chef. The main struggle was deciding and leaping a male dominated career. I leaped and left my two years of a college career in nutrition. I moved across the country and followed my true passion.
I always knew in my gut I wanted to be a chef, although, after doing internships in different restaurants in Mexico City, San Diego and Madrid, and especially after living the experience of working in a two-michellin star restaurant, I was hesitant about living the life of a full time chef in a restaurant. I got a taste of the restaurant life and knew right away it just isn’t my thing. I didn’t want to miss weekends and holidays, because in the food business we work when people celebrate or vacation.
I learned to open my horizons and have the type of chef career that best fits my lifestyle. I created the job I wanted for myself. One where I can travel freely to explore new culinary worlds and where I can spend time with family and friends without feeling limited.
Tell us more about the business.
Chef Alma Fernanda is an all around food service company. I mainly offer cooking workshops where I teach all of my favorite recipes. I love sharing my passion for food, cooking with my clients and help them realize cooking is meant to be fun and not scary. I think the one on one cooking experience makes a difference and helps people gain confidence in their cooking abilities.
I’m also a private chef and offer a full catering service for small to medium events in Tijuana and San Diego. I love getting to know my clients and offering them food that feeds their soul and makes their friends and family happy. I offer full menu services as well as cheese and charcuterie tables and dessert tables.
I believe something that sets me apart is that I am very loyal to my cooking style and only share or create recipes that I would eat at home with my family. I share food that comes from the heart. Food that I make with love and that fills people with light and good vibrations.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe I have been very lucky in my private and business life. I have surrounded myself with people who truly care for and support me no matter what. Starting with my parents who always allowed me to experiment with my curiosities and cook at a very young age. I was very lucky to grow up in a family that loves good, authentic food.
I just got married a couple of months ago and feel so lucky to have a husband who is my number one fan and supports and helps me every minute of every day. He’s the one who makes me coffee when I pull cooking all nighter, and who cheers me on when my back hurts and I want to give up. He says he’s the lucky one since he gets all the leftovers.
Most of all I feel very lucky for my loyal followers and clients. I have felt immense support, always following along and supporting me. I have never used publicity and every single client that comes to me has been through word of mouth. I believe that cooking from my heart, sharing my personality as it is and always offering the best products available are key to my success.
Pricing:
- Culinary Workshops: $70
Contact Info:
- Phone: (619) 513-1311
- Email: a.regaladoc@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefalmafernanda/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefalmafernanda/
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