Meet Amber Coleman | Private Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Coleman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber, why did you pursue a creative career?
For a long time, I did not know what I wanted to do in life. I was between random jobs and in college for my basic Associates degree. One of my best friends asked me “what would you do in life for free?” The only answer I had was FEED people! I knew right then and there I was going to be a chef! I went to The Art Institute of Houston for my culinary degree. I absolutely love cooking and creating different dishes.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My Charcuterie business came about at the beginning of Covid. Being at home with 4 kids (3 in school, and a toddler) and still working a full-time job was stressful. I turned to cooking to relieve my stress. I would create these boards and my kids were crazy over them and kept asking for one every day. Now they were not as pretty as they are today, but it took time and practice to create a beautiful setup. I remember having our first get together with a few friends and I made a board, my friends were amazed and didn’t want to touch the food! Next thing I knew I was getting calls and texts from friends, friends of friends, and family to place an order for a board. I decided to add theses boards to my Faithful Foods business of private chef and healthy meal prep. The name Faithful Foods came from just simply having faith in myself as a chef and Faith is my daughter’s middle name. I have worked very hard and practiced hours on my craft and I intend to continue to learn and offer cooking classes, boards, and meal preps as long as God allows me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I really love the Houston scene! There is so much to do and so many cultural foods to try! I would take my friend to Katy Asian town to try Yomie’s Yogurt and Rice drink, the Dim Som Box and walk through HMart. The next day we would check out Lyric Markets stalls and get a little something from each one and definitely enjoy their happy hour. I love going to Railroad Heights Market to eat and relax with the family. They have food and shopping and its always exciting to see the different vendors shops. We would also ride over to Airline Dr to the Houston Farmers Market and Spice Market for the best fruits and vegetables. I only buy my spices from the Spice Market now; it is so cheap and fresh you can’t find anything better. El Bolillo is right next door, and they have the best pastries and cakes! I enjoy taking my kids and letting them try anything they see new. I grew up in a multicultural household with my father being Pakistani and mother being English Irish and Pourtugese therefore being able to try different foods all my life. With that being said once of the best Pakistani restaurants aside from my mothers kitchen is Aga’s. The food there brings me back to when I would go visit Pakistan as a kid. I also love the atomosphere of Post Houston. the views are beautiful and so many choices of food available.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
In school I ended up with an instructor name Roshni Gurnani. Everyone in school would say “Gurnani was on tv for cooking!” Of course, I was intrigued by what I had heard. When I met her, she amazed me on her story and her passion for cooking. She pushed me to cook things and create different foods while in school. She even had me make my first fondant cake for her baby shower and it turned out better than I could have imagined! She saw the talent within myself that I couldn’t see. Still till this day she is now a friend and mentor to me.

Instagram: FaithFulFoods_AmberColeman and ambers_boards

Image Credits
Photo Credit: Nina Banks