Conversations with Shawnny Roman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawnny Roman.

Hi Shawnny, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Shawnny; I am the Chef & Owner of Blissful Boards in Mesa, AZ.

My Culinary Journey
Since I was a young girl, I have lived in Southern Mexico many times and have a close relationship with Mexican Cuisine and Culture. Since then, I have been around my mother’s cooking and developed a passion for Homemade Mexican Cuisine. My father was also passionate about the culinary world and owned many restaurants in Mexico, one of which is still open in Puebla, Puebla. MX. Along my culinary journey, I developed other cooking styles, such as Thai, Indian, Mediterranean, Italian, Japanese, and many more! BB was born out of my love for Charcuterie boards, pairing many different ingredients, intricate prepping, creativity, meditation, and, best of all, the challenges and many years in the kitchen with endless creativity. That is what BB is: endless and blissful creativity! After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu a few years ago and having a unique culinary journey, I decided to give birth to this beautiful new chapter with Blissfulboards & Catering. BB now caters to many different types of events, focusing mainly on small bites, grazing tables, and custom menus.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Building a small business from scratch is a challenging road. However, keeping a strong and positive mindset gave me the tools to move forward and not give up hope. I wanted to challenge myself to do everything independently because I knew I could if I put the time, mind and real effort into it. It might sound cliché, but our minds are our biggest obstacles. Whenever something came across that I didn’t understand or knew, from building a website to creating a small, legit business name to having the proper permits, I would do my research on it all the time. Those types of learning experiences make you learn, appreciate and grow the most. I knew I had to put in the work.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work focuses on detailed and creative food styling with vibrant colors. Creating beautiful grazing spreads and catering with a little flare, I would say my style of cooking is passionate and unique since I love many styles. I add my own twist to any dish. I go by mood and feeling, as well as flavor profiles. I love creating authentic dishes from scratch and learning the history behind each dish. I am very proud of my Hispanic roots and have a beautiful passion for authentic Mexican cuisine and the history of foods.