Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiara Hardy.
Kiara, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My name is Chef Kiara Hardy. I entered the culinary world after noticing that I lacked passion in the retail world. I was flourishing in retail, but I wasn’t happy. I was making great money, but I was tired and unmotivated. Inspired by a college commercial on T.V, in 2013, I took a leap of faith and enrolled in a culinary arts program at The Art Institute of Florida. It was the best decision ever.
I started at the bottom making $10 an hour but I was happy. Eventually, I was able to use my grocery and retail experience to increase my value in the culinary industry, and ultimately Kitchen Kitchen Culinary Solutions was established. Today, we provide private and personal chef services, private dining experiences, chef placement, premium meal prep, luxury catering and culinary consultant services and event concierge. Essentially, any moment involving people and food, we can handle, from two people to 2,000 people. Kitchen Killa Culinary Solutions is a full-service event and luxury catering company based on both Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Portland, Oregon.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Earlier, I had to make a decision to take a pay cut. I knew it would pay off in the end and thankfully, I have a very supportive family. My parents and were always there to fill in the gaps financially, spiritually and emotionally.
Also, “chef”, is a role typically reserved for males. Noticing the basis in the world of cooking, I decided to take a nontraditional approach to cooking. Rather than work in a restaurant, I turned my attention to private chef work and luxury dining experiences. This became my sweet spot. I landed high profile clients and prestigious opportunities to showcase my passion for cooking.
Kitchen Killa Culinary Solutions – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Kitchen Killa Culinary Solutions is a premium events & luxury catering company owned by private chef, Kiara Hardy, also known as The Kitchen Killa. Based out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Kitchen Killa Culinary Solutions creates “sophisticated comfort food”, blending culinary favorites with inspiration and influence from around the world. Chef Hardy always had a love for cooking as a creative outlet, but it wasn’t until a failed attempt at college that she decided to pursue her passion of cooking. There, she learned kitchen basics and the fundamentals of foodservice.
For the past year, Chef Hardy has been contracted as the personal chef to NBA Player, Portland Trailblazer, Hassan Whiteside. While under contract with Whiteside, Kitchen Killa Culinary Solutions maintains its ability to staff a wide range of events on both the east and west coast from weddings and intimate dinners, to exclusive corporate events.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I hosted a four-week brunch series!!!!
With the help of my marketing team, Press Release Marketing, we were able to pack a local Fort Lauderdale beachside restaurant, FishTales on 33rd, with hundreds of people Sunday after Sunday this past summer. It was an amazing feat for the restaurant (who is typically closed at that hour). It was an amazing feat for my culinary team who worked with speed and care to deliver my menu to hungry guests. And it was incredible for myself as a chef to see guests excited about my menu. Typically, my team is staffed for private events, so it brought me so much joy to feed my family, friends and local community. I was able to get their immediate reactions to my food and we discussed my menu at length from center stage. It was a moment in my culinary career that I will never forget. I am forever grateful to my marketing team for getting bodies in the door and making sure my brunch series was a success!
Contact Info:
- Address: 3301 NW 47th Terrace, Suite 409, Lauderdale Lakes Florida, 20185 Hoodview Ave, West Linn, Oregon 97068
- Website: kicthenkilla.com
- Phone: 9545404503
- Email: kiara@kitchenkilla.com
- Instagram: kitchen_killa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KitchenKilla1/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kitchen-killa-culinary-solutions-fort-lauderdale
Image Credit:
Press Release Marketing.
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