We recently connected with Laura “Chef Chel” Wharton and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Laura “Chef Chel”, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Overcoming imposter syndrome as a personal chef was definitely a journey, and I think it’s something a lot of people in any creative field can relate to. At first, I struggled with the feeling that I hadn’t truly earned my place. When I became a personal chef at the age of 23, I was in a position where I was cooking for high-level clients, and that felt like a lot of responsibility. Many of my colleagues were 10-20 years older than me, with decades of experience in the industry. Yet, we were all doing the same work. But over time, I learned that age and experience don’t define your value or the quality of the work you do. I realized that the unique perspective and fresh energy I brought to the table were just as important as the years of experience others had. I focused on my strengths, kept learning from my mistakes. Also, surrounding myself with a supportive community of fellow chefs, mentors, and clients who appreciated my work really helped build my confidence. The more I trusted my own abilities, the easier it became to silence that “imposter”.