Wish you were on island time? Soca Chef Rum Punch can do that for you. Soca Chef Catering owner Stacey Scantlebury uses her Caribbean culture to encourage her customers to “taste the music” through her delicious food and drinks. Scantlebury explains how she used her flavorful cuisine and loyal clients to sustain her business and succeed despite the challenges she’s encountered.

What inspired you to get into foodservice?

“My love for cooking began at a young age, cooking with my mother, grandmother and aunts. I often assisted them preparing meals for family parties, however my favorite parts were the tastings and watching the people at the party eat. I loved watching the faces of the party guests, enjoying every bite, they seemed like they were in ecstasy. I knew from that moment that I wanted to someday be responsible for creating such joy.”

What do you love about your business?

“I love introducing and teaching people about my culture through food. I am of Caribbean descent and the food of the Caribbean is so diverse, it’s truly the beginning of fusion cuisine.”

What’s the most interesting thing to happen to your business?

“One of the coolest things to happen to my business was being invited to participate in the Latin Food Festival. I was asked by the curator to bring the Caribbean flavor to the festival. Working that festival gave me the opportunity to share my culture with thousands of people. I also got the opportunity to meet many top chefs in my field and watch them enjoy my food. One year I was even voted by those same world-renowned chefs as the “Best Chef” at the festival for one of my dishes.” 

What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?

“The biggest business challenge that I overcame was the year 2020. I had so many events and new jobs lined up for the new year and the pandemic saw to the end of that. The blow that was dealt to the industry is still being felt to this day. That year forced me to be even more creative and, in a sense, reinvent myself and business. I had to figure out new ways and strategies to keep my business running. With the use of social media, loyal clients, and the comradery of my fellow Chefs, Soca Chef is here to stay.”

Which Cambro products help make your business work?

“Every last one of them. Cambro has such a wide range of products, I can’t pick just one. I love the functionality of the storage containers. I can use them for measuring ingredients, then mix the ingredients, slap a lid on them and now they become storage. I also love the new Cambro GoBoxes. They are light and easy to carry.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER AT CAMBRO.