🥩 The Story Behind the Plate: Steak Fajitas, a Smoke Alarm, and a Life of Which I’m Proud (Personal Chef Story)

When people hear I’m a personal chef and coach, they often picture serene dinner parties, elegant kitchen setups, and me gracefully plating food with soft music in the background.

Let me tell you how it actually went… This is a personal chef story I'll never forget.

the first week I cooked in a client's brand-new estate kitchen.

I was making steak fajitas in this gorgeous juicy marinade—something bold and flavor-packed to kick off the new working relationship. I’d cooked this dish countless times, but this kitchen was a different beast. The sear? Perfection. The smoke? Unexpectedly abundant.

Within moments, the smoke alarm went off.

Not just the little chirp kind. I mean blaring, house-wide, panic-inducing shrieking.

I swung open the doors, threw open the windows, and grabbed a sheet pan to start flapping like my life depended on it. (Because honestly, it kind of did.)

The estate manager sprinted in. The brand-new full-time housekeeper rushed in. The gardener came up to the kitchen .And there I was, in a full sweat, trying to serve dinner on time, praying the fire department wouldn’t arrive before I could finish plating.

My heart was racing, the alarm was still screaming, and I remember thinking:

“I might get fired for fajitas.”

But I didn’t.

In fact, they laughed. We laughed. Eventually. And this week—two years later—I made that same steak fajita recipe again.

But this time?

🔥 I grilled them outdoors—on the grill they bought me because of that night. “Get the chef a grill!”

✨ What This Taught Me

That moment—the chaos, the pressure, the heart-pounding panic—didn’t ruin anything. It built trust. It started something real.

And that’s why I coach the way I do now.

Because transformation doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from presence. It comes from showing up, even when alarms are going off and you're sweating your soul out. It comes from choosing to keep going anyway—and maybe laughing later.

🥄 What’s the Story Behind Your Plate?

Maybe your kitchen hasn’t been filled with smoke lately, but maybe your life has.

Maybe your days feel like an endless alarm of expectations, pressure, and “don’t mess this up.”Maybe you’re doing everything you’re supposed to—without feeling like yourself.

If you’re ready to slow down, nourish your life, and start cooking up something more aligned…

It all starts at the table.Let’s rewrite your story—one plate, one breath, one joyful ritual at a time.

👉 [Book Your Free Clarity Call] http://www.calendly.com/ModernMindsetCoaching 👉 Or browse my coaching options [https://www.modernmindsetcoaching.com/coaching

I certainly didn't have time to take a picture that day amidst all the chaos, but I do grill at home a lot - sometimes gas and sometimes charcoal - depending on my timeline and mood.

✍️ Catherine Richey

Coach & Chef for a Life You’ll Never Regret

Through nourishing meals, intentional habits, and joyful clarity, I help you rewrite your story from the inside out.

🔗 www.modernmindsetcoaching.com