Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Tyner.
Hi Adam, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started cooking in Austin restaurants in my 20s, as I was going to school & playing drums in local bands. The more I cooked, the more I realized I wanted to pursue it as a career, but not in a restaurant setting. I enrolled in a culinary school in NYC that had classes on becoming a personal chef & knew that was the path I was searching for. After mentoring with one of my instructors, I moved back to Austin & began my personal chef/catering business. Since then, I’ve been cooking weekly meals for clients & catering private events. I’ve worked on everything from two-person dinners to appetizers for 250 at SXSW. It’s amazing that I’m still cooking in Austin after 23 years! It’s a testament to the culture of Austin, as well as hard work & the connections I’ve made, that have allowed me to thrive here.
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?
Believe it not, starting out was relatively easy. There’s not a lot of upfront costs to begin a personal chef business & since I had lived here for a while, I had good connections already which led to early clients. Maintaining the business, especially through slow economic times, has been the hardest part. You have to be creative in your promotion & marketing, doing pop ups or in-stores with other like minded businesses. Also, there’s so much more competition these days. When I started out, I didn’t even know another personal chef! But if you stick with it, all those years you spent in your field become an asset & set you apart from your competitors.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I provide weekly meals for clients & cater small, in-home events. I try to cook whatever the client requests but I am trained in health-supportive cooking & am known for specializing in vegan/vegetarian food. I’m very proud to be able to write a healthy, delicious menu while not using a dozen common ingredients that my client is allergic to. It’s a challenge but always rewarding when they are pleased with my cooking! I also believe my ability to handle these requests sets me apart from the competition. At this point, I’m not taking on new clients for weekly service. I prefer working on private catering, bringing the restaurant experience to a home environment. I’m also really excited about my next venture, which is a plant based cheesecake that I’ve been developing for the past year. I’m planning on selling at local farmer’s markets then stocking local stores. It’s been really satisfying to create a product that I believe in & can call my own.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was kind of shy but loved getting a laugh out of people, so I’d always try for that. Music was my first love & I’ve played drums as far back as I can remember. I was always a dreamer. I did well in school but was always wishing I was somewhere else, usually on stage playing music! That kind of personality can make finishing, and even starting, projects hard but the reward is ultimately pretty sweet.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sproutaustin.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/chef_adam_tyner/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sprout-personal-chef-services-austin
Image Credits
Stellina Stampouli
