Today we’d like to introduce you to Cardine Jean-Philippe.
Hi Cardine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up as a first generation Haitian daughter, your help in the kitchen was needed. I spent the better part of my youth and teenage years in the kitchen with my mom, and trust me, I wasn’t a fan at first. When you’re young, it’s hard to make sense of a chore that takes up so much of your time. But as I got older, I found peace in that kitchen. I found a creative outlet and I found what turned into my future there. I became a Food Network junkie, and with the internet boom, I started looking up my own recipes to recreate. I spent many years running after other careers because if i’m honest, being a chef wasn’t in the cards for me as a Caribbean daughter. Many thought I would have made a great lawyer or nurse, and I did try, but the kitchen kept calling me. In my twenties, I made a choice to go to culinary school and started what is now known as Catered By Cards LLC. I worked in a few kitchens during my journey, but quickly realized in this male dominated industry, I have to venture out on my own and really make a name and brand for myself.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? No, not by any means. And I honestly didn’t think it would be. The biggest struggle I find is having my childhood friends understand that this isn’t Cardine cooking for fun, this is Chef Cards and her brand. Now don’t get me wrong, some of my most loyal customers are friends of mine and they will point folks in my direction when they can. But my schedule, my life, my weekends are different now. I can’t just pull up whenever I want, in most cases I have to go MIA for weeks at a time, because I’m buried in back to back events or kitchen takeovers. I spend my time at networking events, film premieres, film sets, traveling and making content. But when I do pull up, just know I got great vibes and a dish to share!
So smooth is not the term I would use. Now: rewarding, challenging and gratifying, those words pretty much sum it up.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I like to think of myself as a Chef and Caterer that can adapt to any event. I build menus with my clients making sure that every dish means something to them and not just a means to feed a crowd. I care about what my clients eat, I offer a healthy twist on dishes that we all love. The health and wealthness of those that trust me to help them with a part of their event that I had a hand in curating is so important to me. In 2025 I set out to start my own salt-free spice line, a way to make all your favorite dishes packed with flavor, but doesn’t give you high blood pressure. I think what sets me apart are my flavors, they are Caribbean based but fused with so many cultures to make a multi layered dish. They take me back to my roots and familiar flavors that feel like home. In Haiti we say “Lakay se Lakay” which translates to “home is home” and my flavors always find their way back home.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Make a plan! But understand that it will change. The timeline that you have for yourself will change. It will speed up, or be at a standstill, but always make a plan! It grounds you, keeps you focused on the goal, and on hard days will remind you that you got this! Never focus on the journey of others or how fast they’re progressing, because only you know what you have to offer, and what you bring to the table. And if you must… bring your own table!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cards_caters/
