Tag: Cooking

Catering Chef Cooks Up Private Meals

What It’s About

A catering chef serves up a tasty side dish.

Words of Wisdom

Chris has some great advice for anyone interested in a similar hustle; “Ask any of your friends and family who wants to have a dinner in their home. Go try it out, see if you like it, and see how feasible it is for you to do. Again, there is almost no overhead, or capital expenses. Do it one time and see if you like it.”

Fun Fact

One of my craziest experiences was having to cook a dinner for two on a boat. They had told me they had rented a boat to take a sunset cruise on the Potomac, overlooking the monuments in Washington, DC. We planned a multi-course menu for their dinner. When I got there, there was a propane grill, that was maybe 10 inches, and had a tiny camping style propane tank. I had brought a portable electric stoves, but the captain said there wasn’t enough power for it, so I had to leave it in my car.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1557
Chris Spear always wanted to be a chef. He grew up with an interest in cooking and at sixteen began working in kitchens. From there, he went to college and earned a degree in culinary arts. After graduation, he entered the industry, working as a chef for a catering company.

To say that Chris loves cooking would be an understatement… but that’s only the appetizer to his side hustle story.

The main event is that Chris was a hard working, diligent employee who took great pride in the food he prepared for customers. And yet, several years into his career, he started looking for something more. Something to make a little extra money that was hopefully food related.

Turns out it was the job itself that would lead to this possibility.

You see, his company catered large events for dozens or hundreds of people. Sometimes, though, they were contacted for smaller private functions of only a few people. Often in the customers’ own home.

Instead of turning down the business, which wasn’t in their wheelhouse, they offered Chris the opportunity to take on these morsels… and he loved it. Preparing a meal for someone, for a special occasion, in their home tapped into his love of food in a profound way.

That’s when he decided to go from the frying pan into the fire. He began by calling and emailing everyone he knew to let them know his plan. Soon, he had a bite—also known as his first customer.

He also whipped up a brand name, Perfect Little Bites.

He’d been working a full time job and building his side hustle for over five years. It was time for him to quit that day job and go all in. He knew that Perfect Little Bites might rise like a cake or fall like a souffle. But either way, he had to take the chance.

And it worked. With more free time to pay attention to his business, business grew. There have been some down periods but Chris propped them up with lucrative months. On average, he takes home around sixty thousand dollars per year in what is now his full-time hustle. He also has plenty of time to actually take off.

For dessert, Chris is now working on a consulting business he calls Chefs Without Restaurants where he aims to coach hopeful chefs in how to start their own private cooking business. He’s already earning an additional five hundred dollars per month with that, so it might not be long before it becomes a permanent addition to the menu.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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Resources

WEB HOSTING @ $2.49/MONTH

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Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
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GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Go try it out, see if you like it, and see how feasible it is for you to do. Again, there is almost no overhead, or capital expenses. Do it one time and see if you like it."
—Chris Spear #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

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To get a 30-day trial AND an additional month free, click the microphone at the top of their page and enter the word HUSTLE.
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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Cooped Up Nomads Start Online Cooking School

What It’s About

When people aren’t able to travel to Italy for cooking classes, these digital nomads bring Italian cooking classes to the people.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Michelle has some great advice about forming partnerships, especially with family or friends; “be really clear upfront about your roles and responsibilities. Having this delineated and keeping communication open when making decisions has been key.”

Fun Fact

Online cooking classes have grown exponentially during the pandemic, from individual chefs and bloggers offering virtual tutorials to large companies like Cozymeal transitioning from in-person events to Zoom lessons.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1464
Jedd and Michelle Chang spend much of their time traveling and living in different places—or at least they used to. And they will again! But when the pandemic upended their wanderlust lifestyle and threatened the livelihood of a good friend, they cooked up a delicious new project.

Back in 2017, Jedd and Michelle met Chicca Maione when they stayed at her restored 18th-century farmhouse on the coast of Tuscany. During the day, the pair did their online work. At night they assisted Chicca with the cooking classes she taught in her kitchen. They clicked so well with her that they returned for another stay in 2019.

When the pandemic hit and Italy went into lockdown, Chicca’s in-person classes ground to a halt. Meanwhile, Jedd and Michelle’s other side hustle, a website focused on intentional travel, also took a revenue hit. So they offered to co-host a virtual cooking class with Chicca last spring. As soon as the class ended, donations to Chicca started pouring in via PayPal. That was a promising sign, and Michelle realized that maybe they could cook up something bigger than one or two donation-based classes!

Chicca’s Cooking Club came to life with Chicca providing the culinary inspiration and know-how, and Jedd and Michelle handling the structural details. For their first season, they made a little over $1,000 a month each. Their second season grossed over $11,000, leaving both the Changs and Chicca with around $2,000 a month after expenses.

This culinary pandemic pivot has worked out so well that Chicca actually prefers the virtual cooking school to in-person classes now. They’ve been fielding requests for private cooking classes from various organizations and are bringing on another couple to manage those. There are also plans for culinary tours of Italy when we all can safely travel again, and Michelle hopes that some of the online cooking club members will be able to join them in person for a tasty tour of Tuscany.

In short, Chicca’s Cooking Club has provided some much-needed income during an uncertain time.

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Free Italian cooking lesson! Learn how to make Gnocchi with Jedd, Michelle, and Chicca at their next free class. Learn more and register here: –> CookingInTuscany.cc/hustle.
  • For more information about Chicca’s Cooking Club visit their website at, CookingInTuscany.cc/club.
  • During non-pandemic times, Jedd and Michelle write and share resources on how to travel and work full-time at their blog, IntentionalTravelers.com.

SEE ALSO:

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

Quote of the Day
"When partnering with others, be really clear up front about your roles and responsibilities. Having this delineated and keeping communication open when making decisions has been key."
—Jedd and Michelle #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

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Skillshare is giving Side Hustle School listeners 2 months of unlimited access—for $0.99! Join the 2 million students learning everything from street photography to SEO on Skillshare today!
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There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

TBT: Personal Trainer Pumps Up Protein Pancakes

What It’s About

You’ll flip over this update of a protein pancake hustle.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1419

Welcome to Throwback Thursday / “Where are they now?” where we take an in-depth look at someone who’s story has evolved considerably since we first featured them.

It’s been a wild year with these segments. We’ve heard from a lot of people worldwide who have been expanding a coffee empire, raising a million dollars on Kickstarter for a new board game, going full-time with illustrations of houses, selling virtual paintbrushes for iPad artists—and of course, many of these adventures taking place under the overarching limitations of a global pandemic.

Today, in our latest feature, we’ll hear from a personal trainer who sells pumped-up pancakes full of protein. You could say she puts the pro in protein! They’re also profitable pancakes. She’s proud of them, and passionate about them, and also a very personable individual.

Listen to today’s episode to hear Ashley’s updates…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • ABS Pancakes: Get your abs eating pancakes—snag a bag (or two, or three…) of protein packed pancake mix over on Ashley’s website!
  • Shopify: Ashley used Shopify to set up her store for ABS Pancakes, and they’re offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
  • ReCharge: The subscription platform that Ashley used to help manage ongoing customer subscriptions

 

SEE ALSO:

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time. Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Q&A: How to grow a YouTube channel with 121,000 subscribers?

What It’s About

How to keep improving an already considerable YouTube audience.

Notes from Chris

Episode 1147

Beginning in the second half of year one of the show, we began to see that an increasing percentage of stories we featured came from listeners who had joined in early on. This is one of my favorite things about making Side Hustle School—because I know it works!

This Australian listener already has a very popular home cooking YouTube channel with more than 100,000 subscribers. He’s now looking to expand his reach further. What comes next?

“My side hustle is my home cooking YouTube channel where I create and share videos of myself, prepare my favorite meals in a relaxed way. I have recently passed one hundred thousand subscribers and also landed a partnership with the brand name.

I’m now looking to further expand my reach. My question is how do I expand this type of business without losing my child’s identity? I’ve read about SEO and have studied the data from my analytics, but the data is telling me that in order to grow quickly that I need to be making the same popular dishes that are also being featured by larger channels. This could mean venturing into the already saturated spaces, which increases the risk for each video. I invest time and resources into producing. I don’t want to sell too much and lose my viewers, but I would also like to grow my numbers. So what direction do you think it’s best to take?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Hungry for more? Check out and subscribe Gabe’s YouTube channel, Food for the Gabs.

 

SEE ALSO:

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for my past 5 websites. It's cheap, flexible, and you can get support 24 hours a day.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

British Pub Manager Bakes Pork Pies for Profit

What It’s About

After experimenting with different recipes, a British man finds one that inspires him to start his own micro pub.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

You should work hard for your employer, but you should also think about yourself and create your own security. That’s what starting a side hustle is all about, and Tom’s story illustrates this principle well.

At first, he was thinking like a good employee and put all the profit from these food experiments back into the till. That worked for a while, but one day he was mowing the pub garden lawn, he wondered why was he making food and not making the profit? After asking that question, it was a short transition to working for himself and starting his own micro pub.

Fun Fact

Tom often watched food programs on TV and saw a chef make scotch eggs with black pudding—and instead of deep frying them, he baked them. Tom didn’t have a deep fat fryer, but he had an oven, so he started making scotch eggs.

The great scotch egg experiment began with him charging £3.00 each ($4.50 USD), and he changed the recipe each time. He used Instagram and Facebook to post photos and a description of each day’s egg, so he built anticipation and a group of fans.

He eventually fell out of love with scotch eggs, but then discovered pork pies which were similar but easier to make.

Notes from Chris

Episode 75

Not everyone should be an entrepreneur, but it’s important to have options.

In this story, a British pub manager draws on his love for cooking to make extra cash. The money he made ($5,000 a year) was important to him. His family has used it for one-off items like holidays, Christmas, a new washing machine, a rooftop cargo carrier for the car. He’s been able to provide for family days out and leave his salary for what he calls “all the boring stuff of life.”

Even better, all of these positive experiences gave Tom the confidence that his ideas could be profitable, and he decided to open his own pub. The Bumble Inn has been running for 7 months, and is going great.

Naturally, he sells his own pies and bar snacks there and can sell over 150 of each a month—not just a side hustle anymore but now part of his own business, and something that he continues building for his family.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

Chris Guillebeau

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for my past 5 websites. It's cheap, flexible, and you can get support 24 hours a day.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"All of this gave me confidence that my ideas could be profitable, and I took a risk and decided to open my own pub which has now been running for over seven months and going strong."
—Tom Beran #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Get a premium Indochino Suit for just $389!

Side Hustle School is brought to you by Indochino, the company that’s reinventing men’s fashion.

Go to Indochino.com to get any premium Indochino suit for just $389, plus free shipping, when you use promo code HUSTLE at checkout. 🤵 Get it Here

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau