This week’s chef in the spotlight is Marci Boland chef/owner of L’Hermitage Catering and Gourmet Emporium in Fort Lauderdale. Marci has made her mark as one of the top premier boutique caterers in South Florida. Marci has gone from delivering lunch for five to an office ten years ago to serving 500 at the Deering Estate. Business plans aside one never really knows what’s around the next corner and in addition to her thriving catering company Marci took being an entrepreneur a step further and opened a charming gourmet emporium two years ago in Fort Lauderdale to compliment her catering business that sells boutique wines, classic and hard to find spices, original recipe sauces and dressings, home-made prepared foods to-go from soups and sauces to full meals and gourmet gift baskets.
L’Hermitage Gourmet Emporium is home base for Marci where she prepares and organizes her catering from as well as. When the sun shines, the sun shines; in addition to Marci’s successful businesses she will be getting married this Spring so I had to ask…who’s catering your wedding? she just looked at me and said, L’Hermitage Catering. To that reply, I asked you’re going to work your own wedding? and Marci replied Hell No! that’s what staff is for. Congratulations Marci on all your successes and pending nuptials!
I present this weeks chef in the spotlight, Marci Boland of L’Hermitage Catering and Gourmet Emporium.
South Florida Food and Wine: Where do you get your culinary inspiration?
Marci Boland: Through meditation. I walk away from the kitchen to completely quiet my mind and myself and during that “quiet-time” ideas, views, and new ways of doing things come to me.
South Florida Food and Wine: When did you realize that cooking was your passion?
Marci Boland: It all happened by chance. I was 26 years old and was the catering manager on a private yacht; the chef had an emergency and had to leave so the owner threw me into the “fire” so to speak and the rest is history.
South Florida Food and Wine: Who would you most like to cook for? And why?
Marci Boland: What first comes to mind is Julia Child, or United States Presidents…. but I have already done that: and so I am content to please my clientele
South Florida Food and Wine: What is your one guilty pleasure food?
Marci Boland: Potato Chips with French onion dip
South Florida Food and Wine: What was the last restaurant you ate at?
Marci Boland: Café Maxx for Christmas Eve dinner
South Florida Food and Wine: It’s your day off, what do you do for fun?
Marci Boland: Dinner with friends at a new restaurant
South Florida Food and Wine: It’s your last day on earth, what would your final meal be?
Marci Boland: Chocolate and Champagne
South Florida Food and Wine: What is the most challenging thing about being an entrepreneur?
Marci Boland: Staffing. The maintenance of good quality staffing is an ongoing reality in this business.
South Florida Food and Wine: What is the one piece of advice would offer entrepreneurs starting out today.
Marci Boland: Truly soul search. Know yourself completely; mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually and ask the question “do I have what I think it takes to own my own business? And then five steps more?”
L’Hermitage Catering and Gourmet Emporium is located at 3045 North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale on the SW corner of Oakland Park Boulevard and Federal Highway (diagonal from Target) 954-568-2383
