Today we’d like to introduce you to Kris Jones.
Hi Kris, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Cooking has always been an essential part of my family and my life. My passion for cooking started as a young child, watching my grandmother, Hazel Jean, create magic in the kitchen. My mother and I would always make sure we learned every trick of the trade when it came to creating family meals, and the way we showed love was through cooking. Fast-forward to years later, I have taken the passion and creativity my grandmother passed on and have added my unique flair and flamboyance for all flashy and sensational things to create Obnoxious Cuisine.
We started as a food truck in Memphis in 2016, and in the past few months, have come back to Southern California for special pop-ups and catering events.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve always loved cooking, but it wasn’t always a career for me. In fact, as a serial entrepreneur, I owned 3 beauty salons and a record label before I started Obnoxious Cuisine. That started in 2011, delivering select menus to beauty shops in the area until I moved to Memphis, TN, and started the food truck. It’s true what they say, you always go back to your first love.
We got hit with the same issues other people in the food and hospitality industry experienced with the pandemic, and now with inflation, but we have pretty loyal customers that continue to support this dream.
Our catering and pop-up schedule can be intense. I’m a firm believer that I need to touch every plate that goes out, so even when I’m injured or overexerted, I work to make sure my customers are satisfied. The physical demand can be tough.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a culinary artist and love what I do. I can literally make anything, from hibachi to homestyle southern cuisine. I like to think of my style, as “Flavor Fusion.” I love to create eclectic seasonings like Fettuccini-Stuffed Turkey Legs and Jerk Chicken Tacos. Merging different cultures and flavors in ways to make you think “she wouldn’t dare.” But that’s why I’m Obnoxious… I will and I do every single time!
As I’ve moved back to San Diego, new doors are opening up for me left and right. I have a resident pop-up at Chefs San Diego in the Gaslamp, vending opportunities at different events, and consistent catering jobs for special occasions.
What really sets me apart from other people is the love, history, and boldness that goes into my flavoring and cooking.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The food and hospitality industry has taken major hits over the past couple of years, but I believe that people are looking for culinary experiences over just a place to eat. We’ve started catering for those private picnics that I believe are a preview to people’s desire to customize their experience.
Since so many of us were in seclusion for so long during the pandemic, I believe people are going to get together often, but rather than looking for venues for events, they are going to focus on private rentals (such as Airbnb) or in their homes, so private caterings are probably going to increase over the next few years.
As far as food goes, we are very interested in cannabis-infused food. I believe that is going to be a big focus in the next few years.
Contact Info:
- Email: obnoxiouscuisine@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obnoxious.cuisine/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/obnoxiouscuisine
Image Credits
Ivan S. Harris Photography
