Today we’d like to introduce you to Andre Muir.
Hi Andre, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am a first-born American citizen of Jamaican parents 1 of 5 siblings. I always remember the smells in my mom, grandparents, and aunts’ homes.
To this day, I can taste the distinctive flavors and styles of each person. That’s where I got my senses from and watched them without anyone even realizing it. I had to help with the cooking because I was the oldest of 5 children. I knew how to make things taste good without really thinking about it.
When I left for college I worked as a dishwasher for Marriott and one day the grill cook called out, so they put me on the grill and I ended up taking the job. Then one day the weekend cook called out so I went in to assist with the cooking and consequently ended up getting that job. After numerous opportunities and moving up the ladder with Marriott and eventually, with Sodexo/Marriott I left to try other avenues that did not come together as I expected.
During this time, I married my wife Monique and I had a responsibility to provide and the only thing I knew for sure was this food journey. So, with help from family members Entrees by Andre was formed. It’s been a growing and successful business since then.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not even close. Food is very subjective so I got great reviews but everyone wasn’t willing to try let’s say a curry chicken salad because they think it’s going to be spicy, so you have to constantly sell. Of course, if you are running a catering company you need capital to start in which I had none. So, every sale made it right back to the company.
My greatest failure came when we were asked to do a church festival and I was told to expect 300 people a day for the 2-day event. I hired staff to make life easy ordered plenty of food to prep. Cooked all night only to be an event with maybe 50 people and 4 other food vendors and I was set farthest away from the church, needless to say, I left the event son in the hole I didn’t know what to do.
I am not ashamed to say I broke down because I am responsible for being the man in my household so that comes with the financial burden. The next day, I brushed myself off made a promise to my wife I wouldn’t allow that to happen again and I went harder in the paint and have not looked back since.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a caterer, I had to find my style, so I took my Jamaican heritage and my southern upbringing and combined them to create Entrees by Andre signature style Jerk Turkey for thanksgiving, fried mac, and cheese, curry chicken wraps to name a few.
I’m most proud of how my name is good in the communities and businesses I’ve worked in, and that those people who at one time didn’t know me but were willing to hire me and after trying our products and services recommending us to others.
What sets me apart is my constant drive for details of an event. Everything has to make sense because I want my reputation to be flawless.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
It’s one thing to have good food but actually taking care of your paperwork and making sure you are as adaptable as possible left me in a position to still stand strong while others closed, which was important. We shifted to more drop-off services and intimate dinners to control exposure. And asking for help when I needed it.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@entreesbyandre.com
- Website: www.entreesbyandre.com
- Instagram: @entreesbyandre
- Facebook: entrees by andre
Image Credits
atTheTipTop
