Go Beyond Recipes - Season to Taste

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in career and personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with John Eisensmith, owner of Season to Taste, located in Durham, NC, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We empower individuals ranging from 12-70 years old with fundamental knowledge and skills to feel comfortable and confident in a kitchen and approach food from the mindset of professional chefs to create greater flexibility in the kitchen and get a deeper sense of appreciation of food and life with each meal they cook or eat! In teaching how to cook, you have to teach many life lessons because your life comes out in your food. This began my speaking career to share the many life lessons that cooking has taught me that not only motivate and inspire others in the kitchen but in life as well!

Tell us about yourself

I was fortunate enough to accomplish pretty much all of my goals in my industry by 35 (owning multiple restaurants, creating an insane amount of dishes, cooking for billionaires and celebrities, etc.) and wanted my knowledge of food to reach and impact a larger audience. I realized that no one was teaching cooking fundamentals like they teach chefs in culinary school, only recipes or recipe-based classes. I created The Essential Series that teaches all of the fundamental knowledge and skills of cooking, basically a year of culinary school, in 12 hours and transforms how people approach and look at food and cooking. Seeing these immense changes that come to each and every cohort and knowing the impact this had on people's lives for the rest of their lives is what motivates me to continue pushing. These skills have changed my life, and I just want to share that joy and freedom with as many people as possible!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Truly, seeing cohort after cohort be forever changed in their approach and comfortability with food and cooking is what makes it all worth it.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Balancing your impact with your work with the cost of doing the work. There is a tradeoff to it all. And having to constantly learn whatever is necessary to propel your business forward because you are the leader!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Embrace the Suck. If you aren't good at it, get good at it. All faults are chances to grow and improve.
2. Master the Fundamentals. If you want to be good at the complex stuff, you have to have the fundamentals down pat. Amateurs do it until they get it right. Professionals do it until they can't get it wrong.
3. Persist with Integrity. If you keep going for the right reasons and in the right way, you will get there. It will certainly take longer than you think!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.seasontotastenc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seasontotastenc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seasontotastenc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeasontoTasteNC
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-eisensmith-686050105/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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