Rising Stars: Meet Elisa Hindes

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Elisa Hindes.

Hi Elisa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve had a passion for food and cooking ever since I was a child. However, I ended up going to college and getting a degree in Journalism, and after graduating, I worked for non-profit organizations doing fundraising, marketing, and administration.

After the attacks on 9-11, I started to seriously think about the fragile nature of life and how I chose to spend this precious gift of time. I knew I was not fulfilled sitting in a cubicle, so I went to culinary school and never looked back. That was over 20 years ago, and I’ve held a variety of positions in the food service industry. But most of the time has been spent being self-employed in one way or another. I worked as a personal chef for many years, cooking for clients in their homes.

When Covid hit I decided to pivot once again and eventually went back into catering, which also led me to being a food vendor at markets and festivals. In an effort to market my Raclette party catering services, I decided that I needed to get in front of lots of people and show them what Raclette is all about.

So now you can find me scraping hot melted cheese onto sandwiches at various markets and events in Denver, something that never ceases to delight and amaze people.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The food industry is never smooth and never easy. You must have passion for this work.

The biggest struggle has always been the high cost of doing business, particularly in recent years, with food prices soaring, as well as finding the right audience and the customers who want to pay for my services.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
For better or for worse, I crave variety. I can not simply make one thing for the rest of my life. I like catering because of the variety, but within that realm, I specialize in Raclette parties, gourmet hors d’oeuvres parties, and Filipino food, which is my heritage and another thing I am passionate about.

I’ve also been making pies for sale during the holidays for 14 years. I started doing it at home one year ago when I was unemployed. I still offer pies seasonally throughout the year. I proudly do nearly everything from scratch with all of my services.

I’ve worked as a pastry chef, so I don’t serve my catering clients industrial-made frozen desserts. Even the pesto on my Raclette sandwiches is made from scratch. I pay attention to details, I believe in being accommodating to my client’s needs, and, most importantly, my food must be delicious and made with love.

What changes do you expect to see in your work and the industry over the next five to ten years?
The food industry is physically and mentally demanding and exhausting. Labor and the cost of goods are incredibly expensive. More and more, we see all businesses cutting corners in order to survive. And it is increasingly difficult to find quality help willing to dig in and do this work, whatever it takes. All of this means constant change and constant compromise.

On the level of chains and corporate-run places, I think we’ll see more places with kiosks for ordering, less labor, and perhaps lower-quality food. High-end places may have to work harder to stand out and charge more for the high level of service and cuisine they provide. And everything in the middle may see the incredible ongoing struggle and many closing doors.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thesweetlifeculinaryproductions.com
• Instagram: @thesweetlifechefdenver