ICC: What made you decide to become a professional cook/chef? How have your past jobs [Russian Linguist, Web Developer, Software Salesman, etc] helped you on your journey as an entrepreneur?

Chef Eric Paul: My mother taught me how to cook at the tender age of 9. Since then, I have always had a passion for the culinary arts. After trying my hand at several other business ventures, I decided it was time to create a business that utilized both the creative and logical parts of my personality.

My prior life and work experiences have given me a well rounded background to handle many of the challenges that most start-ups face. In the military, my job as a Russian linguist exposed me to many cultures outside of the US, which inspired me to offer an ethnically diverse global menu. Since Alter EatGo is an online business, my information technology background came in handy because there was definitely a need to understand the World Wide Web. In order to address the nuances of food service management, business development and customer service, I often rely on my previous experience as an IBM software salesman and Operations Manager for McDonald’s corporation. All of these life and work experiences have better prepared me for my entrepreneurial journey.

ICC: Why did you start Alter EatGo? What sets you apart from other meal delivery services?

Chef Eric Paul: In many African American communities around the country, there is a growing consumer demand for the food service industry to provide more nutritious choices that are convenient, tasty, and affordable, which is why I created the new lifestyle dining service, Alter EatGo. Alter EatGo is a new diet food delivery service that provides healthy, portion controlled and calorie conscious meal options to African Americans and other time deprived professionals in the Chicago metropolitan area. These fresh gourmet meals are ready to eat and only require reheating. This service saves individuals time and money because we do the menu planning, shopping, and cooking on our client’s behalf. AE’s mission is to become the leading provider of healthy ready to eat meal options for at risk populations, health conscious individuals and people with medical conditions by offering convenient, affordable, fresh and delicious cuisine that appeal to diverse cultural tastes.

 

Alter EatGo is very unique because it seeks to offer healthy cuisine that appeal to certain niche markets versus the general population. No other diet food delivery service is focused on providing an exciting, healthy and culturally rich menu for African Americans. The menu development strategy involves creating healthy substitutes for cultural favorites. This is achieved by using software to analyze each recipe, leveraging the expertise of a Registered Dietitian to optimize the nutritional benefit, and working with myself to maintain the integrity of the taste. All meals are prepared by classically trained chefs or culinary students.

ICC: What do you enjoy most about your business?

Chef Eric Paul: I love employing people within the community and offering the gift of health to at risk populations. Alter EatGo has the potential to become a national company in several years. We want to show society that you can make a buck and be socially responsible at the same time.

ICC: What’s your biggest challenge in the kitchen?

Chef Eric Paul: In most kitchens, it is tough to maintain a high level of productivity all day because cooking is quite labor intensive. You definitely have to be a great motivator and possess good people skills to influence the staff to work harder when they are already exhausted. It is also challenging to get other chefs to produce meals exactly the same way as the Executive Chef. The latter requires that you have a good training program, documented recipes and systems in place to test quality and product consistency.

ICC: Your Mother is your Sous Chef. GO MOM! In what ways has she influenced and encouraged you since starting Alter EatGo?

Chef Eric Paul: Chef D, my mother’s culinary brand name, is definitely my most valuable asset. She treats the business as if it was her own and is my best sales person. It is evident that her 25 years of entrepreneurial experience and her expertise in the kitchen has made Alter EatGo a more successful company. It is great to have someone like your mother help you build a business and face daily challenges.

ICC: Is there a favorite meal that clients must have on the weekly menu? Have you had any unusual food/meal requests?

 

Chef Eric Paul: We offer everything from oven baked chicken to Cuban paella. Our menu features cultural favorites from culinary meccassuch asMexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Africa, Asia, Jamaica, and New Orleans to name a few.

Most of my customers love our breakfast because we get very creative. One of the most popular dishes is the pear crisp with a pineapple yogurt dipping sauce, but our customers love some of the simple breakfast items as well such as the turkey ham, egg, and cheese skillet.

We haven’t had many unusual requests outside of accommodating a few allergies or dislikes because we clearly communicate that we are a diet food delivery service and not personal chefs.

ICC: Where do you see Alter EatGo in the next 5 years given the fact that meal delivery services are growing in popularity?

Chef Eric Paul: Alter EatGo plans to become the premier diet food delivery service for time deprived individuals that enjoy culturally diverse cuisine in the Chicago market. In 2009 and 2010, AE plans to expand by recruiting a dynamic management team to handle daily operations, utilizing celebrity chefs and consumer package goods companies for menu development and using print and radio to market its products and services. Over the next 3 – 5 years, AE plans to acquire a production facility, expand to other Midwestern states, offer an on-line application that offers healthy meal plans and prints grocery lists designed by a Registered Dietitian and Chef Eric Paul, and produce fresh pre-packaged meals for the supermarket industry.

ICC: Will you be auditioning for The Next Food Network Star again?

Chef Eric Paul: Unfortunately, I will not be auditioning for any more cooking reality shows. Recently, I turned down an audition for Top Chef. Part of being a successful business person is recognizing your strengths and weaknesses. My strengths don’t lie in just cooking, but possessing a wide variety of skills. If I had to create the perfect show for myself, it would be Top Chef meets the Apprentice.

ICC: What do you love to do in Chicago?

 

Chef Eric Paul: Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the world. It has the cosmopolitan flare of New York City, but it has the welcoming hospitality of many southern states. If folks really get out and explore ALL of Chicago, they would be amazed by the diversity of activities, places and people that exist. I have lived in many different cities and countries, but there is no place that I would rather be than Chicago. Of course, it would be nice to have a summer home in Miami during the winters.