Meet Jasmine Ramsey of Jazz It Up Soul Food in Tempe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Ramsey.

Jasmine, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Hello! My name is Jasmine. I am 23 years old and the Owner and Executive Chef of Jazz It Up Soul Food. We are currently a private-home based business looking to expand into a food truck. Cooking has always been a passion of mine… No, more like a forever LOVE of mine. I started at the age of five baking various family recipes and desserts and from that day I knew I had fallen in love with cooking. For years I tried to get my foot in the door by applying for cook positions at every restaurant possible. Although I didn’t have any certified experience behind me I had PASSION. I thought it would take me far in this industry that I loved. I was continuously being denied a cook position due to lack of experience and just when I had almost given up I tried one last time. I GOT THE JOB! From that day to this one I have been professionally cooking in this industry for two years. This journey took me to a place where I had more knowledge than I started with. The more knowledge I gained the more I wanted it! My drive, my hunger, my desire is what pushes me today… Past the fear, anxiety and the self doubting. I am stepping into living out my dreams and want to share my passion with the world.

Has it been a smooth road?
The road has not been smooth at all. For years I tried to get it off the ground past a basic planning stage but if it wasn’t one thing it was another. This year I got tired of letting my circumstances control and stop me from fully pursuing my dreams. What truly opened my eyes was a severe work injury I sustained this year that could have stopped me from being able to pursue my dreams. While in recovery I had a lot of time to think and I was not willing to put myself and my dream at risk anymore. So I started to focus on my business so that it could grow.

Please tell us about your business.
My business Jazz It Up Soul Food is currently a home based food business looking to expand into a food truck and we specialize in Authentic Southern Louisiana cuisine. We’re known for our Cajun Gumbo Mac&Cheese, Cajun chicken(made with my original Jazz It Up Cajun seasoning) and our soft and delectable traditional Beignets. What sets us apart from the others is that instead of just selling our dreams and passion to the highest bidder we are established as a company that loves to connect with each of our customers. We see them as a family and prepare our food with every ounce of love needed to nourish those hungry souls. We cook with passion, integrity and love. Our food is new and innovative with traditional dishes such as Shrimp Po’ Boys and Red beans&rice and cornbread. We stay connected and humble.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like the best about my city is that it is so diverse and cultured. What I like least about our city is that people seem to only stick to what they know which can be hard when starting from scratch.

Contact Info:

• Website: jazz-it-up-soul-food.ecwid.com
• Phone: 480-256-2823
• Email: jazzitupsoulfood@gmail.com
• Instagram: @jazzitupsoulfood

Image Credit:
Credit: @yungtastebuzz_az @foodvanshi

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