We had the good fortune of connecting with James Lackey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I would have to say my work/life balance, has drastically improved, since going into business for myself. Some people say going into business for yourself, increases the workload and the hours. I haven’t found this to be true, in my case. Working as a chef, the average work day for me was 10-12 hours, but 15-17 hours weren’t uncommon on event days. Going into business for myself, for one, doesn’t feel like it’s as much work, and I can choose to take on as much, or as little, as I’d like. I run a pretty simple menu, so I don’t spend a lot of time shopping for supplies, or prepping. Most days, we just set up for a 3 hour lunch, and most events we do average, 3-4 hours. Occasionally we do longer events, but again, that’s at my discretion. I’ve found that I’m much happier with a lighter workload, and more flexible hours. Much easier to go on vacation on a whim, or maybe you’re just not “feeling it” that day, so you decide to just take a day for yourself. That comes with a lot less repercussion, working for yourself, rather than an employer.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started in Kitchens when I was 15. I didn’t receive any formal training until I was 20, that’s where my career really began. I was trained in classical French cuisine, at a very prestigious country club. I worked my way up the ladder there from sauté cook, to Executive Sous. After a couple years, I left to assume an Executive Chef role at another restaurant in town, after a few years, I ended up moving on due to The owner and I not seeing eye to eye on a lot. Later on, I Landed in a 60,000 sq ft event center, working as one of the main catering chefs, this is where the long hours started. Average days were 10-12 hours, event days could be upwards of 17, and we did one event a year, we’d work for 40+ hours straight, and it was a lot, but that really developed me the skills of persevering through, and just getting to work in a lot of different situations and scenarios which really helps build knowledge and character. I’d be lieing if I said I wasn’t miserable, though. I worked more than I was at home. I was stuck for years because I couldn’t find anything else making the same, let alone more. Eventually, the time came when I was able to assume another Executive Chef role at a new, craft beer bar that wanted to do a gastro pub style menu. I had great success there, and it was ok for awhile, but like all the other places, just got to a point where I wasn’t seeing eye to eye with management. This is when I made a decision, I was tired of these jobs that started out ok, but 6 months to a year in, started to go downhill. I’m a great worker, very professional, dependable, prompt, and I care about my customers and the product I served. I realized that my problem was, I wanted to be able to be “ME”, first and foremost, but I’m also the type of person that wants to do what I want to do, when I want to do it and how I want to do it. That’s when I knew my only option was to go into business for myself. I had thought about a food truck for years, well now the time has come to make that more than just a dream. It was a rough go at first. I went and took out a small business loan. I had just enough money to buy a food trailer and a truck to pull it with, and a little left over for startup costs to do my LLC and permitting and other odds and ends. What I didn’t have, was enough money for a “home base” which is required to operate a food truck. So I went on the road. I worked the southeast, big events, so I could work under the permitting of the event. I soon found out, this wasn’t really making me any money. I was spending too much on travel, hotels and eating on the road. I came back off the road and went back to work at another restaurant as their GM. I worked there for a few years until I finished paying off my business loans and owned the business. After paying everything off, I was able to come upw ith the money and put the things in place I needed to have a home base, to operate locally. At the begining of 2020, about a month before COVID, I took my last 1000 dollars and opened the truck back up full time, as my main source of income. It’s been a rough go, and still is with rising costs of everything, coupled with other expenses, but 4 years later, we are still here, running strong. It has been a dream and a blessing. I wouldn’t be able to do it without the support of my family, especially my dad, and all my loyal customers.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would have to give a lot of thanks and appreciation to my Chef and mentor, Eric Arceneaux, of the Big Eddy Club in Columbus, Ga, Eric, now the GM, was originally the Executive Chef during my tenure. I had already been cooking in local restaurants for a couple years, but Eric gave me formal, classical french training. I had tried college for a brief stint, but I was never a fan of school, and couldn’t force myself to go daily. Ended up dropping out, finding a job with Chef Eric and getting a formal training, out of the same book, I was using in school. This way, I received a paycheck and also job experience as I learned. I later went on to run a few of my own kitchens as executive chef, and now run my. Own business. Currently, my daughter is now in that kitchen and learning the same things I learned, almost 20 years ago.

Facebook: Graffiti Foods

Image Credits
These are my pictures from my phone.

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