Meet Nickolas Gutierrez | Caterer & Private Chef

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

Hi Nickolas, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’m sure my friends and family would agree that I haven’t been afraid to take risks in life—especially in my career and my business. I quit a stable, well-paying job with benefits and a normal schedule to get my first restaurant job. I was feeling stuck and unsatisfied, so I took a 60% pay reduction and gave up nights, weekends and health insurance to pursue a passion on a whim.

After three years at that restaurant, I began to look for a new challenge, and left for a part-time job with Juli y Juan’s Kitchen after convincing them to give me a job at my own wedding tasting. I started Picky Eaters simultaneously, beginning as a bakery – selling bread to local restaurants and people – with no intentions of going into catering. I was happy baking bread for half the week, and spending the other half working weddings and other events. But catering was part-time, and when the low season came around, hours were dwindling and bread wasn’t really paying the bills.

Urged by my friends/mentors Juli & Juan and my waning finances, I took a leap and started catering, booking clients referred to me by JyJ. It was small events at the beginning, mainly corporate events or private parties; events that I could handle on my own with no employees and limited experience. I worked for a wedding caterer, though, and it quickly became obvious that most of the referrals they had to offer were for weddings. After a few months, a client trusted me with their wedding as my first. I told myself I’d put in the time and figure it out along the way, and that’s exactly what I’ve done.

I booked my entire summer and fall; I’ve already started booking weddings for the 2024 season and it doesn’t seem like it is slowing down anytime soon. I’ve been pretty successful to this point, far from perfect, but my clients have all been thrilled and I’m definitely my harshest critic. The learning curve is steep, never ending, and the pressure is high. I do everything: client and venue outreach, planning, prepping, plating and serving, accounting, social media, website maintenance, the list goes on. I knew starting a company by myself would be difficult and risky, but I was confident it would make me happy. So far it has, and that makes it all worth it.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Getting here has been an interesting and unexpected journey. Twelve years ago, not only did I not know how to cook, but I was literally the pickiest eater I knew – that’s where my company’s name came from. I had a basic, unhealthy and uninteresting diet; I didn’t eat most fruits or vegetables, wouldn’t touch seafood, and refused to try even a bite of something new based on a long list of silly reasons. As I learned to cook, I became increasingly curious and found myself seeking out ways to incorporate ingredients that I’d previously avoided at all costs. My food became better, healthier, fresher and more vibrant, and I kept experimenting. Instead of going to culinary school, I focused on finding great teachers, learning by doing, and not being too afraid to fail.

I got engaged in 2019, and found Juli y Juan’s Kitchen to cater my wedding. We were blown away by their energy and passion, the positive reviews from their work, and of course, their food. I had become determined to work for and learn from them, and actually convinced them to give me a job at my tasting. Now I do my best to apply their model (with my own spin) to Picky Eaters, with the goal of providing a more personal experience than typical caterers. The food is only part of it, by the end we should feel like friends, as if you might invite me to attend your next party instead of catering it. That experience starts from the first conversation I have with a client and doesn’t end until I say goodbye at the end of their event.

It hasn’t been easy, but it has been a lot of fun. There have been so many things to learn and challenges to overcome, with new hurdles almost every week. Starting a business is a ton of work and feels endless at times. Catering also has a distinctive set of challenges, but to be honest, I’m loving it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would spend most of our time in the mountains. Hiking, kayaking, rafting and exploring up in the Poudre Canyon, Lory State Park, and Horsetooth Reservoir.

We absolutely have to go to a concert at the Mish; it’s my favorite venue in Colorado. Maybe some snowshoeing or snowboarding if it’s that time of year. I believe you’re also obligated to go for at least one bike ride when visiting Fort Collins.

For drinks we’re going to Persimmon, Timnath Beerwerks, Zwei Brewing, Odell, William Oliver’s and Ace Gillett’s. Probably a few other breweries sprinkled in there too.

We’ll hit up Lupita’s for breakfast burritos, Cheba Hut and Choice City for sandwiches, Slyce for pizza, and wherever Double Wide Burgers food truck may be.

We’re going to The Lyric one night too – whatever they’re doing is guaranteed to be a fun and interesting time. But mostly, we’ll be out enjoying the wilderness.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I absolutely would not be where I am today if not for my wife, Emily. For starters, she taught me the basics of cooking when we met. She encouraged me to quit my original career to pursue a passion, tasted all my food experiments, designed my logo and website, helps out with social media, serves at my events, assists me in the kitchen, and puts up with me in our day to day life. She is amazing and I truly can’t imagine my life without her.

I definitely need to thank my friends and mentors Juli & Juan as well. I met them as a client when planning my own wedding, then turned that into a part-time job, then full-time and then eventually my own catering company. Their passion, knowledge and support have been inspiring and instrumental in my journey. I’m extremely lucky to work alongside and learn from them, and also to call them my good friends.

Lastly, a quick shout-out to all the other friends who have helped over the last couple years. From tasting my creations, to helping out at events and in the kitchen, to just supporting and encouraging me along the way. I couldn’t have gotten to this point without you.

Website: https://www.pickyeatersfc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickyeatersfc/

Image Credits
John Robson – for the last 4 photos