Chef J.C. Pinckney on Building The Bougie Palate: Scaling a Luxury Catering Business

Send us Fan MailOn the Black Bridge Mindset Podcast, hosts Mike, Ken, and CJ welcome Chef J.C. Pinckney, CEO of The Bougie Palate, a Tampa-based luxury catering and private chef brand inspired by her Barbados roots and love of Louisiana Creole cuisine. J.C. shares how she started cooking for friends during COVID, formalized the business in 2022, and learned entrepreneurship through free one-on-one support from the SBDC, including financial literacy, pricing strategy, and post-event “autopsies.” She explains why she avoids opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant, how she prices luxury catering (including retainers and paid tastings), and what customers often misunderstand about catering costs. J.C. discusses staffing, project management systems, marketing through social media and word of mouth, catering events up to 700+ people, and her goals to open a commissary/ghost kitchen, expand revenue streams, and create a cookbook and cooking classes.Website: https://thebougiepalate.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebougiepalateThank you for listening! Follow our socials! FacebookInstagramYouTube TikTok Contact us: Email: [email protected]  Hosts:Mike CJKen