Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawnae Bleichner-Cook and Josie Patterson.
Shawnae and Josie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Josie and I (Shawnae) met while working together at a large central Illinois catering company. We always worked so well together and quickly became great friends. After both pursuing other career paths for several years, late last year we had this crazy idea to start our own catering company. It started with small dinner parties and a birthday cake here and there but grew quickly with the support of the community. We have had amazing feedback. I remember the moment we both looked at each other and realized “So, we are pretty much a real catering company now.” What started out as a fun little side gig turned into a full-time passion. We couldn’t have done it without such a supportive and receptive community giving us a great word of mouth.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We quickly learned that the hardest part of starting a catering company is the red tape. When we started, we thought “Hey, it would be fun to make some delicious food and deliver it to people!” Little did we know that the time spent doing paperwork would far outweigh the time spent in the kitchen. The whole process has been an incredible learning experience regarding small business ownership, and we are still learning as we go. We are thankful for the resources and small business incentive programs that our community has been able to offer for women entrepreneurs.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are a full-service catering company specializing in private parties, corporate events, and weddings. Josie, the “Pan” of Pan and Cake, is our executive chef, and Shawnae, the “Cake” of Pan and Cake is the operations manager and pastry chef. Together we complement each other’s skill sets. I couldn’t imagine doing this without such an incredible partner.
Our mission statement is to make you, as a host, look good (while secretly, you never have to lift a finger). We understand the stress of hosting a party or planning a wedding or other large event, and we want to make sure that when the day comes, you are able to enjoy the company of your guests and have them leaving impressed. With Pan and Cake, you are able to sit back and relax with full confidence that your guests are being taken care of.
We handle everything from setup to service to clean-up. It is important to us that during the planning process, you gain our trust. That is why we love to meet in person a couple of times prior to the event to go over details.
One of the things we are most proud of as a company is our attention to detail. They say you eat with your eyes first, and we take that very seriously. We pride ourselves with our food’s presentation, both on and off the plate. We love working with other local vendors to provide linen and dinnerware rentals, florals and decor, elegantly designed menus, and more to make your event unforgettable. We also pride ourselves with excellent service.
What were you like growing up?
I (Shawnae) have always been an entrepreneur at heart. From lemonade stands to handmade crafts, I was always finding a way to make money. (Luckily enough, my five-year-old self was cute enough to make a few sales to my gracious neighbors). The Food Network channel was always on, and I would imitate cooking shows while preparing dinner for my family. I went on to earn my business degree with a specialization in entrepreneurship at Liberty University before moving to Illinois, where I discovered my passion for catering.
Being in a kitchen has always been a passion for me (Josie). The thought of going in and putting the best ingredients together to make a dish gives me the most excitement. Growing up around food and my family always being in the kitchen is what has driven me to push myself and cook the best food I possibly can. I graduated from the Art Institute of Tampa and moved on to work for Disney, which was an amazing opportunity!
Contact Info:
- Website: panandcakecatering.com
- Phone: 8013603704
- Email: panandcakecatering@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/panandcakecatering
- Facebook: facebook.com/panandcakecatering
Image Credit:
Kaula Marie Photography
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