Conversations with Stephen Miller

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Miller.

Hi Stephen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started cooking at home with my mother. I showed an interest in learning how to make my own food and she guided me with the basics. I enjoyed food network shows. Specifically the competition shows because the creativity needed to prepare meals with random ingredients with limited time was very impressive to me.

As I started to learn how to make simple foods, I decided to do culinary school. I attended “Columbus Downtown Highschool” my junior and senior year. (2014-2016). During my time there, I had started working at Chipotle getting my credited hours in the food industry. Among that spring before graduation, I started my fine dining career at “Lindeys” in German Village.

It was a very eye opening experience of how the restaurant world works. More demanding than previously assumed but very rewarding since I enjoyed it and was being paid as well at a young age.

In 2017 I began work at “The Columbus Club” which is an Invitation Only Social Club where I was an evening Chef until 2020. Very great learning experience for me really developing my technique from Scratch kitchen cooking for very influential/prominent people in Columbus and outer areas.

2020 during the peak of COVID, I decided to start my own business “To Go For Your Soul”. I had felt I developed enough skills to put myself out there as well as wanting control of my schedule. Some questioned the timing due to the circumstances of the time but I was determined to see it through.

I started with weekend dinners rotating menus every time to keep customers engaged and to stand out from the crowd. I wanted to express my culinary skills my way. Eventually I would go on to hosts public dinners and start private dining for clients and Catering.

Now we travel the Country for different occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, corporate events, Milestone Birthdays & etc.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course there will always be challenges but the reward to risk ratio is favorable in my opinion. The biggest things to me is actually learning the business side of food. I’m not really a paperwork person but it is essential to keep things organized for success.

There are times where business can be slower as with any business and pivoting approaches to keep income afloat during these times is an adaptable skill to Develop. You can never get too use to one way of doing things that you block out other potential opportunities.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Cooking is an expression of art that you get to eat so it’s one of my favorite art forms. I strive to be as versatile as possible for my own benefit but also to suit as wide of range as clients as possible. Every menu for my business gets tailored to each occasion giving a more intimate and personalized approach to their occasion. Professionalism and creating a life long memorable experience is one of the key focal points of my craft.

I specialize in dealing with meats and seafoods most in my opinion. My favorite cuisines to prepare are Latin American, Indian, Korean, Carribean & Hispanic. Italian and American Cuisines are great as well but I like to be a little more abstract with my skills

I am most proud of my growth personally and professionally. To handling clients better, building a more professional presentation for my business and the places cooking has allowed me to explore from my craft. I’ve cooked for some very prominent people in these past 6 years and looking forward to what’s in store in the near future for me and my team

What makes you happy?
Life makes me happy. It is a blessing to be alive and able bodied each day. I work gratitude daily because it is so easy to let the inconveniences of life steal the joy that you already have. Genuine connections with people and understanding different perspectives of life always intrigues me and I can learn to integrate things to improve my life.

Food and traveling makes me happy. Seeing different cultures, ways of living and cuisine techniques is an awesome learning experience for me personally and professionally. There is so much to discover so I have a lot more to do.

Working out makes me happy as well. It has aided in self confidence and mental/ emotional development for me. Doing something hard consistently pours over into other aspects of your life which I see results from and continue to push myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.togoforyoursoul.com
• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/Chefmills614
• LinkedIn: https://Www.linkedin.com/Stephenmiller