Meet Samuel Chen | Electrical Engineer & Food Enthusiast

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

Hi Samuel, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My mother is an amazing woman. She single-handedly raised two kids by herself; working long hours and yet still making time to cook nutritious meals. Every day when I came home from school, a delicious aroma would always waft from the entrance to welcome us home. Her passion for cooking was manifested into a bowl of Taiwanese comfort food and consequentially sparked my interest in creating a variety of cuisines. My first attempt at repaying my mom for her hard work and kindness did not go well as I burnt the entire meal. But surprisingly this did not discourage me from trying again. Practice made perfect as I finally made a meal I was proud to serve her. It was at this moment that I realized that food was all about expressing your love and creativity on a plater to gift to whom you love. As I explored this revolution I came across a dilemma…what good is making food so appealing and delicious if the dishware holding it clashes with the theme and becomes a distraction? I began scouring the internet for online stores that sold dinnerware to match an elevated meal but I was unable to find such stores with enough variety to solve my predicament. This is when Garish.es came to life! I decided if no such store existed, then shall make my own.

What should our readers know about your business?
Garnish.es is not just a website that sells dishware but a place where people can take their cooking to the next level through new technologies and techniques. The inspiration for the selections available on my website comes from my passion for cooking discovered early on in my childhood along with my background in tech, I’m always fascinated by more efficient and unique ways of food preparation and presentation. That’s why I spend the majority of my time shooting, recording, editing, and writing recipes so that people can share their delicious achievements with one another. One aspect of the whole process I found challenging is pushing myself when I don’t see any rewards for the hours I spend on each dish, sometimes it can be a bit discouraging when the content you put out did not receive good feedback. But one quote I always remember when I feel discouraged is that sight is what you see with your eyes, but vision is what you see with your mind.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a recent graduate from university, the meal I valued most was always food that is low cost and unique. My go-to place for a hearty and healthy meal is Salad and Go. This small salad chain has the most affordable large portion-size salads and drinks. It’s my number one recommendation for salad and never fails to gain a new regular when I take my friends or co-workers. With our stomachs full, I would hit up Dallas Galleria to walk off the food and enjoy some window shopping. To end the day, a stroll around Klyde Warren Park during sunset hour offers an amazing view of the Dallas skyline.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Besides my mother, I need to give a big shoutout to my wife, Ariel. She is my motivation to keep working hard and make better life decisions. We met in our first year of college and started to date after being friends for a year. Now it has been 7 years together and we are happily married. Our journey was filled with ups and downs from juggling multiple jobs and studies to a long-distance relationship. I’m overjoyed to have her by my side as my wife and best friend.

Website: https://garnish.es/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garnish.es/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chenjsamuel/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Garnishes.es

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@garnishes1