Meet Jennifer Beach | Plant-Based Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Beach and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
For the last seven years or so I had been working as a personal chef where I mainly offered luxury services. But when the pandemic hit, I like so many others lost business and had to re-strategize in order to keep going.

I wanted to create something that was available to everyone. People were afraid to leave their homes and restaurants had been shut down. Freshly cooked food was hard to come by and people were becoming discouraged.

So I decided that my best contribution to society a well as a good business plan was to launch a plant-based meal delivery service offering weekly meals, as well as specialty catering orders.

I wanted to provide meals that made my customers feel as good as it tasted. We were all suffering, and a simple meal could be the difference between a hard day and a better one. I encourage my customers to slow down and be present as they eat. To notice the textures and flavors as well as their energy levels and mood. The small act of being in the moment can be so healing, and that is just as important as the nutritional benefits of each dish.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The main focus of my food is providing exciting and nutritious food and making it available to everyone. When I first became self-employed, all of my clients were affluent and hired me to create meal plans to aid with their dietary ailments. The plant-based market was still taboo to the general public and the average person could not afford or was not interested in my services. But as the world has been changing, so has the mentality of what we eat and how what we eat affects our overall function. As that attitude has been changing, the demand for my services has grown. Now is a very exciting time for the plant-based market because the world is waking up to the importance of not only a healthy diet; but a collective balance of the mind, body and soul.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The plant-based food scene here is incredible and ever since moving to Phoenix I’ve been on a food tour around the city. The first stops would definitely have to be 24 Carrots, The Coronado PHX, Green New American and their sister restaurant Nami, Early Bird Cafe and True Food Kitchen. Sweet D’s has awesome vegan options and their display case is always awe-inspiring.

I currently live in Mesa, right outside of Tonto National Park and it’s one of my favorite places to explore and take visitors. We could take a boat out on Saguaro Lake, or take a hike around Butcher Jones trail to get some higher views. Then we’ll float down the salt river to see if we can spot any wild horses taking a drink on a hot day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
One of the positives to come out of the pandemic was the reborn emphasis on supporting small businesses and buying local. My community showed me so much support and I was surprised by the amount of business that I got off the bat and how many people wanted to try my food. They would tell their friends and by the power of community, my customer base began to grow.

Instagram: whatscookinbeach