Meet Te’Ann Smith | Personal Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Te’Ann Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Te’Ann, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
In the great words of Rihanna, “work, work, work.” Work and consistency are key to success and leadership learning. Quite frankly, people want to work with other people who are consistent and dependable. So what is the recipe for a successful business relationship? Let’s start with work and consistency. I show up early, I leave late, and I research to understand best what I need to be successful. There have been dozens of moments where my plan for success, although rooted in consistency, quickly was rerouted due to a bump in the road or a sudden shift in needs. This is where the lesson learned became work, work, work… and expect the unexpected. Grace and leniency are needed to be a good leader and worker. Grace is a powerful concept if you take the time to imagine it. We are not robots, not everything can be perfect. Add a ½ a cup of leniency, a grace to our work and consistency, and we have something good cooking. For example, there has been a moment or two when Atlanta traffic has kicked in, or a spice has run out, and I found myself moving ten minutes late to a client appointment. However, as someone with a known reputation for being reliable and consistent, grace was given by this client. My consistent work ethic allowed me to work with this client several times before, always on time and being reliable. This mistake, or human error, did not diminish my credible background due to the relationship we built together. The formula keeps moving forward; add a little trust in yourself.

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.
I pride myself in my specific skill set, which sets me apart from others. I have a wide range of food and cultural knowledge I feel comfortable utilizing.  The knowledge of diets and foods that are common/uncommon makes me proud of my work and the people I have worked for. I have learned so many new lessons and techniques from my clients. From a new cooking hack via TikTok, to learning how much soy is in the most common products, I learn from various people and platforms. I got to where I’m today via these diverse experiences and perspectives, as well as  all the hard work, charisma, kindness, luck, and  knowledge my craft has gifted me. As I stated in my previous interview, when I decided to do cooking professionally, I was 17 with no technical training. I spent most of my k-12 academic career playing sports: basketball and track in Youngstown, OH. Most of my free time was devoted to working on my athletic  capabilities, not cooking or the arts. Initially, entering culinary was very challenging. As an athlete, I liked the challenge. I saw everyone was  looking at me like “ what is she doing here?” “shouldn’t you be dribbling a ball somewhere?” But after a crash course in food sanitation from my mother and a few wise words from my Uncle Russell and Grandmother Jeanette, I felt motivated and inspired to venture into the culinary world. One of the biggest  lessons I have learned is that punctuality is key. Even if you’re not the best at your craft, if you’re on time and have a good attitude, a lot of people are willing to work with you. This also leads to my next point of being kind and having a good attitude. No one wants to be around someone who is miserable or has a  negative vibe toward them. Kindness can go a long way, and positivity matters. I try to treat others with the same respect I want and deserve.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I think about my best friend when you say this. She’s great and like me – she loves exploring new food and local hubs. I am big on taking tours while visiting new cities, so I definitely start my best friend’s Atlanta trip with one of the many tours this city has to offer. She’s into reality tv, so we would probably check out the  “Atlanta Hip Hop Housewives and Movie” tour first. History is vital to us, so the “Martin Luther King Jr Walking Tour” is a must. Both tours are great because they encompass various historically Black parts of the city, which means amazing local food and talented people. Brunch at Atlanta Breakfast Club or Gocha’s Breakfast Bar,  directly followed by a day party in Atlanta, is something everyone should experience. I love Fin and Feathers because the cocktail/bar vibe showcases the Atlanta club and food scene blended. If you visit Atlanta, you have to get brunch, my favorite spaces are brunch spots that end at 8 pm and are filled with lots of breakfast, drinks, laughs, and memories that take us to the next visit. We would also have to stop by a few cool food halls in Atlanta: Krog Street Market, Politan Row, Ph’east, and Ponce City Market. While at PCM, would go to The RoofTop and grab their amazing drinks and carnival-based games, and take some tremendous TikTok photo and video opportunities!

I’d also like to give a shoutout to some of my other favorite Atlanta spots:

Food Faves:

● Gypsy Kitchen for Happy Hour and Dinner

● BQE for Dinner and Live Music, most of my friends, are from NY, so this place is perfect

● Boogaloo for the swings at the bar, $5 Happy Hour, and appetizers.

● OSHA Thai for lunch

● The Sun Dial restaurant, so we can eat and get great views of Atlanta.

● Atlanta Fish Market, because they have the best seafood in Atlanta that I’ve tried so far

● LIPS, for brunch and a drag show (Shoutout to LGBTQ+ Atlanta)

Activities:

● Georgia Aquarium for their “sips under the sea” sessions

● Trap Music Museum for my favorite music

● Culture Experience their selfie museum is great

● Spas: Iwi, Four Seasons, Jeju)

● Apache Café to watch a Spoken Word show

● Additional: A comedy show, we love comedy shows, Food and Wine Festival, Pedal Pub through Midtown, and The Drip Bar for IV vitamin therapy.

Wow, this itinerary could give my best friend a nice balance of Atlanta history, partying, sightseeing, a peek into Atlanta’s growing food scene, and relaxation. I am sure after she reads this, she is buying more tickets.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Oh definitely! I’ll start with Chef Norman P. Hart and my team. Thank you for being unique and patient as we learn and grow together.  My mother and father always gave good advice and ideas for my business, they are my home team. My friends Ashley, Julian, Skye, and Trey; always hold me accountable for my actions and love me a lot.  Skye makes sure I’m doing what I need to be doing: from asking about me making renovations to putting out content promptly. Ashley helps keep me focused. She reminded me where we came from and where we are headed. going to Trey helps me with technical issues. He and I went to culinary school together, and he understands the culinary processes. Julian is my street manager and team. If you need people to know something, he’s the man to go to – the who, what, when, where, and why of a cooking event I host or a new spot I’ll be attending to promote. Last and certainly not least is my mentor and the first professional chef I  learned from, Chef Hart. Coming out of high school, I remember his observation of me, sternly saying- good but needs some fine-tuning.  I had never taken a culinary class, and he was the one who helped transform me from a great home cook to a professional chef. He gave me obstacles to overcome and showed me what would continually arise along the way as a Black woman in this field. I succeeded and failed multiple times,  and he taught me to keep going and work. He is a man with great determination and focus. An award-winning Garde chef who taught at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Chef Hart coached me to become a winner of the Best Teen Chef for the Pittsburgh region at nationals.  Without him, I would not be where I am, and I thank him for all of this. Thank you for taking a chance on a potential cook and shaping me into a great chef. He worked me to the bone and defined what hard work, grace, and reliability mean.  All of my family and friends work as a team. They want me to succeed, and they play an essential part in my success.

Instagram: @cheftsmith

Facebook: Chef T Catering Company https://www.facebook.com/cheftsmith1481