Meet Dainese French | Culinary Soul Care & Catering

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

Hi Dainese, how do you think about risk?
Isn’t the saying, “No risk, No reward”? I believe it is.

One thing life has taught me, in the last year & a half especially, is to be fearless in my decision making. When I took the risk of leaving corporate America last year, I knew that I had to be completely invested in myself & I couldn’t mull over it or think twice.

But, to be honest, I hesitated. I put in my notice, withdrew it, put it again, & tried to withdraw it. Overall, I knew that my heart wasn’t in it & the risk of continuing to be unhappy didn’t seem all that much like a reward.

I think Will Smith said it, “Everything you’ll ever want is in the other side of fear.” Fear for me was rooted in feeling uncomfortable not knowing. I had to focus on what could be instead of focusing on what currently was, simply because if I focused on what was at the time, I wouldn’t have been able to see the potential success of stepping out on my own.

Having my back pressed against the wall, having to bet on myself, the type of faith I had to have to really go for broke had to be immense. The one thing that always stood out to me was that, the workforce would always be there. Our country is built around the need for workers. And, that’s just a testament to the capitalistic structuring of America. There will always be a job readily available, if I need it, in almost any city.

I also never see a set back as a failure. I take the risk. Even if the risk : reward ratio is a bit off, I learn a lesson, and then I implement those changes into the next risk I take. Whenever I take risk, the successes are much better than if I hadn’t.

So, taking risks, is always a win, in some capacity.

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?
What sets ME apart from others is my determination to get better with everything I do. I am driven to find ways to make recipes better, to make food healthier. I’m always looking over the logistics of things to make the overall Mineral Eats experience stellar. If something doesn’t work, I go back to the drawing board & try again. At the drawing board, I piece together how I can implement change & do something different – make things better. I also don’t limit myself to one thing, to one type of culinary experience. Mineral Eats has served everything from plant based soul food platters with air fried oyster mushrooms, to Vietnamese lemon grass “beef” & rice, because food brings people together. And, since we are limitless as people & we have the ability to embrace other cultures, I make it a point to always expand outside of my comfort zones when it comes to flair & flavor.

I think it’s safe to say that I am the most excited about the current progression & future of my company. I have so many ideas about expansion. It’s extremely encouraging to think that this really started as a way to get me out of the hamster wheel that is the traditional workforce. This isn’t a slight to anyone who still works a 9-5, but it really gets me going that this time last year, I was still clocking in & now I am the owner of my own company. I am most excited about saying that I am in business for myself, & it’s thriving.

I got where I am today, by eliminating the fear of the unknown. I believe in hard work, which definitely pushed me to the space I am in today, but I also believe in the power of manifestation. You have to visualize what you want, and see yourself doing it successfully, before you can take the steps necessary. Mineral Eats was born was I came to the understanding that I didn’t want my value or my worth to be dictated by someone else.

Has it been easy? Most of the time when you do something new, it’s not easy. You have to train, practice, reassess and understand that nothing is a failure. Even if it feels like it, there is always a lesson to learn. So, I wouldn’t say it’s been easy, but I won’t say that it’s been hard. Situations can only be defined by the words that we use & I don’t want to describe the journey as easy or hard. It’s been… fulfilling.

There are 4 rules to overcoming challenges. Accept. Observe. Decide. Take action.
1. Acceptance of where you are in your journey.
2. Observe the situation.
3. Decide your goal.
4. Take action to achieve goal.
Oh and for a bonus, STAY POSITIVE!

Some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way: Visibility is important, being fearless is essential, knowing your worth is the ultimate key and lastly, manifestation is real – when you put the work in.

Mineral Eats is Dallas’ new (vegan) kid on the block, offering a roundtable of 100% plant-based creations. Not only do we offer single meals, I curate events, travel for retreats, personal chef in your home services & catering for the soul.

If you ask “what’s on the menu?”, the possibilities are ever-changing. You can expect plates vibrant with color, as colorful meals provide the most minerals & nutrients in every bite, hence the name Mineral Eats.

We care about your overall health & well-being, whether you’re vegan or a carnivore here.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
It’s sad to say, but I’ve only been in Dallas for 3 years & I haven’t done much in my time here in regards to entertainment. My first year and a half I spent most of my time in the gym, and the 2nd portion was spent inside due to covid. My best friend would be pretty bored, but well fed. Most of my hot spots are food locations.

I’d take her to Juiceland, which to me I feel like is just a Texas staple.

Definitely Trinity Groves to walk the bridge, have a photoshoot & get some summer sun.

Nuno’s Tacos for traditional street tacos, Bam’s Vegan for smoothies & wraps, DopeBoy2HopeBoy for THEE BEST jackfruit tacos & sandwiches, Compatible Delights for Soulfood Sunday.. see. I know food! Makes sense, since I’m a chef, too.

Oh, and yoga in the Park is pretty awesome, too!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to thank the entire city of Dallas. Moving here three years ago, really put things into perspective. It really showed me that there was more than enough space for a young black, female entrepreneur. There is a community of small business owners who I see and who I know see me.

It’s a vibe.

Website: www.mineraleats.com

Instagram: @mineraleats

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mineraleats/

Image Credits
@tierra.denae on IG @mineraleats on IG