We had the good fortune of connecting with Camille Chong and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Camille, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from St Andrews, Jamaica. I lived there for just about three years and then moved to Brooklyn, New York. Growing up in America my mother went to college and graduated as a pastry chef but also sold cars as well to make ends meet. As I grew up the beginning stages of my elementary years all I remember is waitressing in her restaurant when her employees called out or filling in when someone was not there. My brother and I has had a different but memorable childhood. We were chefs before we knew that’s what God had in store for us. Fast forwarding a few years later we welcomed our youngest brother along with another restaurant. I told myself never in a million years would I ever sell cars like my mother or cook for anyone because it was an experience to say the least. Fast forward again… I am now in college studying criminal justice to go off to law school and study family law. I wanted to be a family lawyer and eventually become a judge; I just knew this was my destiny. Well last semester of the last year of studying for my bachelors I got pregnant with twins. I graduated August and gave birth November. You will never guess what happened. August I graduated but right before I graduated God as my witness I had $5 to my name and started to look for employment because law school you can’t work enough to provide for a family. I ended up selling cars. I actually sold cars for 5 Years and in between then after giving birth and wanting to get back to my regular weight I started cooking for myself and posting my meals. One day a friend from college asked me to start cooking for her and I agreed but I didn’t know a price where to start or anything just some knowledge from a past job at a gym working with nutritionists and what worked for me. That was the beginning of what is now my career and entrepreneurship Cameals LLC.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets me apart? First my personality!! I know when I go in a room or talk to a client I’m very confident in my product and my skills. I am Cameals I am a product of my product. Second we specialize in healthy meal prep so I take my experience from just being a chef and doing unhealthy catered meals and turn those meals into amazing healthy meals to help my clients look and feel their absolute best. We make sure to never lack flavor and still stay healthy and count proper macros. Being an entrepreneur I would say is never easy but when you end up doing what you love you won’t mind spending the extra sleepless night on bettering yourself or creating generational wealth. Lessons I have learned throughout my process is first and foremost trust in God, trust the process and never give up on yourself. You have to believe in you more than the next person wants you to fail. You have to be the best version of you so when new levels come to knock you down the walls you built are so strong you aren’t even bothered by the outside looking to get in because they can’t.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting we would definitely do a winery so Chateau Elan for wine tasting. We do like to exercise so we would go up Stone Mountain. As far as eateries we would make sure to visit hole in the walls and support as many black owned businesses as possible. We are definitely super relaxed so a spa also… Just really cool.. calm and collective..
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost ALL GLORY TO GOD. Without strength, prayer, trials and tribulations there wouldn’t be a company. Second my family. My co chef, partner and brother Ronnie he is my right hand. We work well together and literally can finish each others seasoning patterns without any hesitations. When we are in the kitchen together we know for a fact we are the greatest of all time. My mother has taught me the foundations of catering, being my own boss and helped me become the mother I am today. My twin daughters are my why. My daughters are the reason I even changed career paths but it was all in Gods plan anyways.
Website: www.ordercameals.com
Instagram: cameals_
Facebook: facebook.com/cameals
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