Today we’d like to introduce you to Chef Elizabeth Willard
Hi Chef Elizabeth , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
A native Miamian, I grew up in an Italian Irish family, and food has always been my epicenter. When I decided I wanted to step away from my executive corporate job more than 19 years ago, founding a personal chef company was a natural transition.
I named the company Lucia’s, after my great grandmother who inspired my love of cooking and taught me how using the freshest, highest-quality ingredients can transform even the most humble dish.
In 2017, I was diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. I started working with a functional medicine practitioner and the first thing he did was change my diet. We eliminated gluten, dairy, soy, and any ingredient I had a sensitivity to and the result was astounding.
Within weeks, I was feeling like my old self again and had more energy, growing back my hair, and experiencing more restful nights. I knew at this point that I had found a truly unique “medicine” that I wanted to share with others.
In 2018, I rebranded the company and founded The Pickled Beet. Our mission is to use food as medicine to help clients live their best life by nourishing their bodies with exactly what it needs while still preparing delicious meals that they can enjoy. Whether someone is healthy and wants to stay that way, or they have been diagnosed recently with a disease, or are struggling with food allergies or sensitivities, we can help. It starts with a unique weekly menu created for each and every client.
I’ve assembled an experienced, expert team of professional chefs who scratch-cook every meal in our dedicated gluten-free kitchen. And, we’ve partnered with medical and nutrition experts who provide a holistic approach to meal planning that ensures your food doesn’t just taste great – it’s great for you. In our company, we measure success not by the dollars in our bank account, but in the number of lives we change. It’s our mission to help as many people as we can.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Entrepreneurship is never without its challenges. But, from day one, The Pickled Beet has stood out in the crowd. Before opening our doors, we studied the South Florida market and we found some gaps that existed in advanced meal preparation. We decided to take a unique approach: using organic ingredients when not many people were talking about them; creating a service fee plus groceries business model so that we could be 100 percent transparent with our clients; and offering our service without requiring a contract.
Like most small businesses, finding and retaining talented, dedicated, and hardworking staff is a major obstacle. But, I’m proud to say that we have assembled an outstanding team of culinary experts who have enabled us to expand our operation and broaden our horizons.
In addition to providing personalized weekly meals, in recent years we have added to our service suite, catering for private aviation, in-home private chef experiences, and holistic nutrition consulting.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are South Florida’s award-winning gourmet chef and culinary services company. By using food as medicine, we help clients focus on what’s most important in life through tailored weekly personal chef services that deliver freshly prepared 100% organic meals right to their home or office. We also offer personalized services through luxury private chef events and holiday catering, in-flight private aviation catering, and semi-private chef experiences.
Our company’s mission is to help our clients live their best lives through meals tailored to their exact personal needs. We understand how difficult life can be when individuals are faced with the challenges of living with special dietary needs such as severe food allergies, food sensitivities/intolerances, or medical conditions that require strict protocols. We modify our meals to accommodate any diet or lifestyle, such as: Celiac disease, Anti-Inflammatory, Alkaline, Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Mediterranean, Postpartum, Autoimmune Protocol, Low FODMAP, Weight Loss, and more.
We measure our success not by the numbers in our bank account, but in the number of lives we change each year.
Service areas include: Miami, Pinecrest, Coral Gables, South Miami, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, Downtown Miami, Brickell, Midtown, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay, Homestead, Doral, Miami Beach, Hollywood, Kendall, Wilton Manors, Weston, Fort Lauderdale, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, Stuart, Palm Beach Gardens, Delray, and Delray Beach.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Sometimes people don’t prioritize spending on their health until they are forced to. We’ve seen it time and again when we speak with someone about starting service, but they decide against it because they are not ready to invest in their health by using food as medicine. It may take a year or two, but they return to the table and start service, inevitably with more health concerns than they had previously.
When South Florida was impacted by the global pandemic, our business doubled. Existing clients expanded their service by adding more meals per week; new clients flocked in because they wanted to protect themselves and their families by boosting their immune systems as much as they could.
Operationally, we pivoted slightly and began increasing our use of immune-boosting ingredients in prepared meals, and offering fresh, organic juices packed with antioxidants. As a team, we not only imposed strict CDC regulations in the kitchen, we also limited our exposure to the virus by avoiding large gatherings, masking up, and getting vaccinated.
Pricing:
- Weekly meals start at $500 per week plus the cost of groceries. In-home private chef experiences, drop off catering, and private aviation meals are priced per service based on the menu and number of servings.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bit.ly/thepickledbeetchef
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepickledbeetchef/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Pickled-Beet-Chef/100085545817746/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pickled-beet/
