Chef Chatter

Surviving as a Black foodpreneur in a changing economy

Damien Pierre, owner, Damis Famous Foods, describes how he implemented a delivery service through on demand apps and published cookbooks to get through the pandemic.

Damien Pierre, owner, Damis Famous Foods, describes how he implemented a delivery service through on demand apps and published cookbooks to get through the pandemic. Provided

February 18, 2021

By Damien Pierre, owner, Damis Famous Foods

It's been a year since I worked at Dominique's Kitchen in Redondo Beach, California. All employees were forced to be laid off due to the statewide closure of all dine-in restaurants. We thought we were going back in two weeks, but the pandemic got worse.

As a "foodpreneur," to survive these challenging times, you have to pivot and figure out how you can implement cost-effective strategies to continue operating your food business. We implemented a delivery service through on demand apps and the publishing of more cookbooks for at-home use.

With COVID-19 happening unexpectedly and technology ever-growing, the landscape for the way we receive and perceive food has completely changed. Food is a medium that can be presented in many different forms. In today's marketplace, food has become more direct to consumers than traditional sit-down dining. Consumers can order on-demand food from their favorite restaurants, and food purveyors from apps such as Doordash, Grubhub, Postmates and Uber Eats. Ghost kitchens and delivery service apps have changed the future of the food industry as we knew it. The general population doesn't have to leave their home if they don't want to.

"Eat Good, Feel Good," the e-book was re-released during COVID-19 because we saw the need to serve the diverse needs of Los Angeles during these troubled times. We recently released another book, "10 Soups for All," to follow that same intention, focusing on how soups can warm souls in a time of sickness or despair, no matter the culture. Both books were released in Spanish and English versions.

The Brentwood Farmers Market on Sundays, where we're a weekly vendor, has been the only way we've been able to safely interact with the public in an open space. Our booth currently offers Damis Famous Foods packaged gourmet chili and cornbread, Damis Famous Foods BBQ Sauce as well as catering to give a taste of Puerto Rico, Grenada, and Trinidad & Tobago right at customers' doorstep.

We're currently working on the relaunch of Dami's Famous Original BBQ sauce, our new product, and other books that are in the works.

How are you innovating to keep your business going?