Hello my STARRS!

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My name is Jazmin and I am a Master Teppanyaki Chef! As one of the only African American Woman Teppanyaki Chefs in the world, I want to inspire others to also break down barriers and live out their dreams no matter how impossible they may seem.

 

I enjoy sharing my knowledge to open up a new world of possibilities many wouldn’t even consider to be an option due to a stereotypical box society puts each of us in. As a kid, I would sell my easy bake oven cakes at my makeshift lemonade stand to people walking by. I had no clue at the time that my childhood play time would ultimately shape me into the chef I am today. Like many young girls, I wanted to be an actress and singer. My dream was to be on Broadway, so I went to college to study theatre arts, which I excelled at and landed multiple leading roles in school plays. Eventually, after receiving many lectures on choosing a realistic career path that would better help support my daughter, I made the decision to take my final bow and close the curtain on my pursuit of theatre arts.

 

I was lost, searching for my purpose, until I came across The Art Institue. I never thought of being a chef as a career, I always thought a cook was a cook and nothing more to it. Attending The Art Institue was one of the best decisions I could have ever made; I was a natural. After struggling my way through my culinary courses due to  homelessness and many other unfortunate life events, I graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts. I earned my degree all while working a position as a dishwasher and prep cook at one of my chef instructors restaurants.

 

I’ve worked 7 years in the industry as a line cook, prep cook, head chef, banquet chef, pastry chef and pretty much working every job imaginable in the food industry. I enjoyed my jobs, but I still wasn’t fulfilled. Eventually, my stars aligned and I received a once in a life time opportunity to work at a teppanyaki restaurant.

 

I started with very little pay and lots of grunt work. I would watch other teppanyaki chefs and ask them questions, then practice what I learned at home. After persistent effort, I forced my way into being able to finally cook for customers. I was so nervous to cook for my very first table, but they loved me and even left me a 5 star yelp review, which is unheard of in the teppanyaki world. I fell in love with it and I can’t see myself doing anything else.

 

Through my career, I have been harassed, made fun of, sabotaged and constantly treated unfairly. I would cry after work most days, and my hands were covered in burns and cuts, however, I never quit! I got better and better every day and developed my own unique style for my shows. I thought I gave my acting dreams up, but in actuality, I ultimately combined my passion for both arts into one incredible entity.

 

As I continued to trailblaze my way through my Teppanyaki career, I eventually decided the only way I would be treated as an equal would be to become my own boss. I created EatMyTeppanyaki to build a team of people like myself, allowing them to bypass the struggles I went through and to truly shine like the STARRS we all are.