The Most Common Questions I Get…
So today I wanted to cover some of the most commonly asked questions I hear, both about my business and about the work I do as a private chef here on 30a.
Your name is Nick, my bill says James… So where did Rowan come from?
Let me start by saying my first name is James, but I have gone by Nick my entire life. So when my invoices go through, clients often see my full legal name as the recipient of the payment. With that being said, let's move on to why the company name is Rowan’s Plate. I have worked all up and down 30A, starting off at a sushi bar in Rosemary Beach, doing some moonlighting gigs over in scenic Alys Beach, and also at Old Florida Fish House out in Seacrest, near Seaside. The one common thing about all these places is that the hours aren’t really something most people would be okay with. In restaurants, it's pretty unheard of to be on a 9-5 schedule. So one big reason that I broke out of that and started my company was because I wanted time with my daughter, but I also needed to be able to make a life for the both of us. Once I got to the point of naming my business to register my LLC as a private chef, I spent a good bit of time thinking about what to call the business…. Food for You… Your Personal Chef… 30A Private Chef Services… The 30A Chef… none of them really fit what I was going for. Once I sat down and thought about it though, it became clear. My biggest priority was to spend time with my daughter, raising her, and still being able to put food on my table, along with the tables of my clients, and the most important plate on that table is my daughter’s, Rowan’s Plate.
Where All Do You Work/ How often do you do this?
The easiest answers to these questions are anywhere I’m hired and as much as I reasonably can. I have made dinners for low-key wedding anniversaries here in Panama City. I have also done wedding receptions for celebrities and athletes in Seaside, as well as cozy family dinners for more reserved groups in the quiet corners of Rosemary Beach. As a private chef, my job is to provide an amazing experience no matter the reason or occasion. With that, I work as often as I possibly can. Even if I’m not doing a dinner service somewhere in Santa Rosa Beach or along 30A, it doesn’t mean I’m not working. Scouting new supply chains, researching recipes, product testing, and much more go into the life of a private chef.
How Long Have You Been Doing This?
I’ve been working in food service for as long as I could hold a knife, and work a line. The work as a Private Chef is a little bit more recent though. While I have 18 years of experience in the service field, I started my own business towards the middle of 2021 working with the concierge service, The Girl Who Wants Everything. With their help I was given the confidence, guidance, and know how to run my own business and it was one of the best choices I ever made. Then back in 2023 after placing 7th in the, Carla Hall America’s Favorite Chef competition, I decided to launch this website and go fully public with things because I wanted to say thank you to the community that had supported me through that contest. Without you I wouldn’t have made it that far, and I wanted to truly show my gratitude to everyone for the confidence boost this achievement gave me.
Where Did A White Guy Learn To Make Sushi LIKE THIS!?
I tell all of my clients that my sushi experience is an EXPERIENCE, and they still have their expectations blown out of the water once I start putting plates down for them. I don’t do the frozen tuna covered in mayonnaise and sriracha to make a spicy tuna, I don’t put a California roll on your table (unless you request it), in fact I don’t put many rolls down at all for my omakase sushi experiences because that’s not authentic sushi and I was taught to do better than what everyone else in 30a was doing. I owe every bit of my know how, and love for sushi to one person, Chef Jorge Dionicio. Before working with him I was very much on the side of things that most people are used to… Sushi must come wrapped in rice and seaweed. However, that’s not at all true and it’s not at all authentic, now that I know better, I work to give my clients better by delivering the best sushi on 30a.
So, Do You Only Do This Kind Of Food?
I’m not a one trick pony, never have been, and never will be. Sure, I spent a lot of my time working in sushi and claim it as my specialty. However, I would say my real specialty is the fact that I adapt to any situation, and I utilize that in my work by creating original dishes or putting a unique spin on classics. I’ve had plenty of clients hire me to do a surf and turf dinner to then find out that I do sushi and book me for an omakase dinner, then others who have booked me for an omakase only to hear that I make the best potato crusted grouper that anyone has ever had. With all that comprises 30a we have such a melting pot of diversity and I want my work as a private chef to reflect that. You want a traditional 5 course Italian dinner, or maybe you want a meal of small appetizers from around the world, maybe you want a dish that reminds you of a comfort food your mom used to make? I can do that, even if you don’t see it on my menu, I can do it, and I probably already have
I think that about covers the questions I typically get on a job, thank you for taking the time to read this and get to know me a little better. I hope that you’ll allow me the pleasure of getting to you and your friends or family by booking me as your own private chef on your next vacation to 30a or the surrounding areas.
