- Just getting started - 1–3 years - 3–7 years - 7+ years - I’ve been in kitchens forever

My name is Chef Jacoby Ponder, a U.S. Navy Veteran, Culinary Educator, and Founder of Chefpreneur Academy. With over 23 years in culinary and hospitality leadership, I’ve trained chefs at the college level, led multi-million-dollar food service operations, and built my own successful brands through cooking, teaching, and entrepreneurship. I created Chefpreneur Academy because I saw too many talented chefs struggling — not with cooking, but with the business of cooking. My mission is to teach chefs how to go From Stove to CEO by mastering culinary skills and the systems, structure, and strategies needed to turn talent into income, confidence, and career growth. 💼 About Chefpreneur Academy Chefpreneur Academy is a training platform designed to help chefs, cooks, and food entrepreneurs level up through: - Hands-on culinary skills & technique lessons - Business development, pricing, branding, and menu strategy - Digital growth coaching - Leadership & kitchen management training - ServSafe + ACF credentials - Career, course, and entrepreneurship pathways Our goal is simple:To empower chefs to build profitable, confident, sustainable careers — not just jobs. 👇 Drop Your Responses Below This community is built FOR YOU — so your feedback guides everything we create next.Let’s grow together, learn together, and elevate this industry one chef at a time.

Before we get rolling, I want to make sure this space gives you EXACTLY what you need — whether that’s culinary skills, business strategy, mentorship, digital growth, or leveling up your career in the food world. I’d love for you to take 30 seconds and answer these quick questions so I know how to serve you at the highest level.

Why I Cook — I cook because food has always been my language, my way of expressing love, discipline, and creativity. The kitchen gave me direction, purpose, and a place to channel my energy into something that brings people together. Cooking taught me leadership, patience, and resilience long before I ever realized it was becoming my career. I don’t just cook to make meals — I cook to connect with people, to inspire confidence, and to show others what’s possible when passion meets intention. Every dish is a lesson, every kitchen is a classroom, and every person I feed is a reminder of why I stepped into this craft. This is more than skill for me — it’s service, it’s purpose, and it’s the legacy I’m building.

- 🎥 Live demos / skill lessons - 💼 Business breakdowns & pricing templates - 🧠 Mindset + leadership talks - 🍽️ Recipe + technique walkthroughs - 🧾 Checklists, SOPs, and chef systems - 🗣️ Guest interviews with industry pros