Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Talley.
Hi Joseph, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started 831 Catering in 2020 admit a pandemic and ending a brick & mortar restaurant. I have spent most of my life in the hospitality industry. I started washing dishes for a local pizzeria as a pre-teen. As I got old enough to wait tables I started doing that and fell in love with the entirety of the process of hospitality. From high end world renowned hotels, to good old ma and pa restaurants, I have worked in all of them. I started my own business after a 5 year corporate run with a large international food brand. I was ready, so I thought. After some partnership failures and the pandemic, I thought it was time to move industries, however, I started 831 Catering because some past clients needed some packaged catering, and it snowballed. I just kept getting busier. I had no money, but some very special close friends helped me purchase a food truck. That truck survived me until pandemic restrictions lifted and we could do in person events again. From there, 831 Catering has blossomed into a full service catering event company, and I finally feel at home.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
there is nothing smooth about owning a small business in California. But the trials of funding, rebranding or starting over more than once builds what we have become so proud of. There is a lot I didn’t know when I started, but I am willing to learn and get up and try again. I am also a dad, and I have five kids, so starting a business from nothing and having that business provide for them was and is not easy or “smooth”, but we love it, and the kids love cooking with me and being a part of the team.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
this coastline isn’t just where I work, it’s home. With a lifetime spent in hospitality, I understands better than most what it means to make an event truly memorable. Every gathering, from an intimate dinner to a large-scale celebration, deserves food that people talk about long after the night is over.
That commitment starts at the source. I partner with local growers and farms in Carmel Valley and Salinas, letting the region’s exceptional produce drive the menus. I care about every ingredient we use for our clients. I care because thats how I live at home, from scratch, clean, fresh ingredients. This makes it easy to not worry about what in the box, because we are not eating from the box. 🙂
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I never went to culinary school
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.831catering.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/831catering?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
