Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Odom
Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a self-taught chef that began in the restaurant industry at age 15. I began working front of the house as a hostess, then upgraded to serving and cocktail waitressing and eventually preferring bartending through college. I moved into a more permanent role of event planning in Austin, TX after graduating from UT and working for high-end catering companies in the area for eight years before moving to Crested Butte, CO to start my own company. My love for cooking stemmed from my grandmother’s influence on me at a young age in the kitchen. They were both restaurant owners in rural Louisiana, and their kitchens were always alive and kickin’. I owned my business in Colorado for nine years, specializing in off-the-grid catering on mountain tops, secluded yurts are accessible only by skis or snowshoe, exclusive fishing camps and river valleys throughout the Rocky Mountains. After deciding that I wanted to raise my daughter back in the Lone Star State, I bought my land in Texas and relocated in 2015 to build my commercial kitchen and event space under the Big Texas Sky. I now cater off premise for weddings, corporate and private events and hold supper clubs and intimate gatherings at my event space overlooking rolling hills and grapevines. Best decision I’ve ever made!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a business always has its challenges, but mine bled from my personal life to professional. I had a baby, got divorced, and started my own business all in one year. It was stressful and challenging in the sense of juggling a new family life and trying to grow a business, as well as the transition from the front of house to back of the house and allow time for menu creation and testing. I wanted financial freedom and a schedule that allowed me to bring my daughter with me and to manage my time accordingly between home and work. I was so fortunate to raise her up to age five in one of the most beautiful natural playgrounds in the world. I also took on a role contracting as a head chef for a multimillion-dollar luxury/adventure based company, Eleven, while also trying to grow my business name Feast and Merriment. My clients ranged from Bentley and Aston Martin to CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies. It was an amazing experience, and I was given creative freedom to customize my food to fit each specific client’s need. I always enjoyed introducing Colorado wild game to the table for my east coast high rollers to enhance their Colorado vacation experience.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve always been interested in the arts and being creative. I am a jewelry designer and learned silversmithing in college and started my jewelry company, Modo Designs, in 1998. I love working with my hands, so cooking was a natural fit, and I was always very comfortable in the kitchen. Feast and Merriment was created based on providing a unique experience that entices all of the senses, intertwining the culinary aspect with a corresponding overall theme or feeling. It’s giving our clients an experience that will hopefully be memorable of a specific time and place. It’s about sharing time and a meal with new and old friends, and the commonality that can be enjoyed around good food, drink and atmosphere. These events can vary anywhere from an intimate wedding to one of our monthly supper clubs like our Oaxacan inspired Dia de Los Muertos dinner with sugar skull adorned wait staff, an elaborate ofrenda to remember our loved ones that have passed on, and local mezcal libations. I have an innate drive to keep creating, researching, and envisioning unique gatherings for my business. I must have a fear of residing in a mundane existence! The challenge keeps me fueled. Having the opportunity to own an event space where there are endless possibilities and future events that are just a daydream away is exactly what I was put here to do!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’ve always been interested in the arts and being creative. I am a jewelry designer and learned silversmithing in Austin and in San Miguel, Mexico and started my jewelry company, Modo Designs, in 1998. I love working with my hands, and I sold my creations to high end boutiques in Austin, LA, and NYC as well as art museums in Santa Barbara and San Miguel, Mexico.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@feastandmerriment.net
- Instagram: @feast_and_merriment
- Facebook: @Feastandmerriment
Image Credits
Diana Lott Map and Compass Photography AL Gawlik Photography
