Chef brings food experience to everyone, even vegans

Chef Joanne Thomas launched her catering company, Serenity Catering by Chef Joanne, in 2006 as a parttime business while she was working in the corporate world. During
the pandemic, Thomas decided to relaunch and rebrand as Chef Joanne Thomas. PHOTO PROVIDED BY 820 CONSULTING.
Chef Joanne Thomas launched her catering company, Serenity Catering by Chef Joanne, in 2006 as a parttime business while she was working in the corporate world. During the pandemic, Thomas decided to relaunch and rebrand as Chef Joanne Thomas. PHOTO PROVIDED BY 820 CONSULTING.

Chef brings food experience to everyone, even vegans

By Tia Carol Jones

Chef Joanne Thomas has loved cooking for as long as she can remember. She always did it as a side job, while she worked for different corporations. The COVID-19 pandemic was the extra push she needed to dedicate time to be a full-time entrepreneur.

Thomas learned to cook and bake in her mother’s kitchen and liked creating sauces and spices. She is a Marine Veteran and launched her catering business part-time in 2006, under the name Serenity Catering by Chef Joanne. At that time, she was doing it more as a hobby because she loved entertaining people and feeding them. She attended and graduated from culinary school and was working as a sous chef, cook, chef, executive chef at other places. Thomas has degrees and certificates in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Restaurant Management.


Thomas found that a lot of times, she was the only one who had a degree, or had a higher degree, but she was making less money than her counterparts, who might not have had the same education she did.


Knowing the experience and education she had, she shifted her focus to her own company. She rebranded and relaunched her business, under the name Chef Joanne Thomas. She began with gourmet compound butters in 2008. The first butter was a honey butter called Butter Me Honey. The next butter was the garlic butter, called OMGarlic.


An injury put her on bed rest and she took that time to write a cookbook, her first. It took her two days to write. She self-edited and self-published it. While everyone was in their homes during the pandemic, Thomas started to hold virtual cooking classes.


Thomas has added more gourmet compound butters to her products, as well as a whole spice collection. She also has written a second cookbook, which took her one week to write. The recipes for the cookbooks are dishes she cooks for her family and friends, and dishes she cooks for her clients. The second cookbook is all about cooking with spirits, wine and liquor.


Thomas’ spice blend is something she has been using for a long time. One morning she woke up and decided to package it. The blend includes salt and pepper, as well as other spices. She also has vegan butters. She wanted to make sure she satisfies everyone’s palate. People at vendor events she attended would ask if she had vegan items, she didn’t at the time, but decided to create a vegan butter called Butter me Sweetie and a vegan version of OMGarlic.


Thomas’ favorite dish to eat is risotto and a “good, juicy steak.”


Thomas offers private chef dinners where people can hire her to come into their home and cook a three course meal. She also offers catering and teaches private cooking classes. She teaches the private cooking class once a month in Huntley. People can book her to teach a private cooking class in their homes.


For more information about Chef Joanne Thomas, visit chefjoannethomas.com.

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