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Eddie Jackson’s profession began in football, but now it’s food that drives him.
Famous chef Jacksonknown for his performances in Food networkHe successfully transformed his culinary talents into a thriving food business model that mixes creativity, mentoring and efficient operations.
Although Jackson grew up surrounded by chefs and food, his adult profession began as a young college athlete attempting to make money in the pre-NIL era.
He knew his way around the kitchen, so he cooked for his football teammates out of the goodness of his heart and his passion for cooking. Eventually, his father convinced him to create a menu and charge his teammates, a precursor to the catering business he began after his playing profession ended.
From there, Jackson made his television debut in Master ChefFox’s cooking competition hosted by Gordon Ramsay.
Two years later, Jackson saw an ad for a cooking show on the Food Network. Food Network Starwhich supplies the winners a likelihood to grow to be a Food Network personality. Jackson won his season and became a fixture on the channel. He currently hosts Chef and has recurring appearances in seasonal shows equivalent to Christmas Cookie Challenge.
Jackson’s journey to culinary stardom is also on account of the invaluable mentorship he received from fellow Food Network chef Bobby Flay. Their relationship began when Jackson was a contestant on Food Network Starand Flay’s advice had a lasting impact on me.
“Bobby Flay was a great mentor to me,” Jackson says. “Just be yourself and you’ll win. That’s what he said. And that’s 100 percent what I did and I ended up winning.”
This authenticity continues to define Jackson’s approach to each cooking and business.
As an owner Rose Hill Beer Garden in Cypress, Texas, Jackson has embraced the fast-paced world of food trucks, using it as a testing ground for recent concepts. One such enterprise is Eddie’s Burgersfood truck specializing in Texas Wagyu beef, local ingredients and made-from-scratch dishes. Eddie’s Burgers became a hit, selling out each day.
“It gives you more freedom to be creative… I built myself on the food truck, which only cost me about $30,000 instead of $200,000 or $250,000 to go into a brick-and-mortar store and not know anything,” Jackson says. “The beauty of a food truck is that it gives you a chance to see if your product works or not.”
Implementing the Toast Service Package
In addition to his creative and authentic culinary approach, Jackson also focused on streamlining operations at Rose Hill Beer Garden. Implementing Toast system was a breakthrough for Jackson. Although he initially used Toast only for POS, Jackson quickly realized its full potential in integrating payroll, inventory, and other operational facets into one cohesive system.
“Now that we’ve streamlined everything with Toast, I think it’s a lot better,” he says.
Jackson’s story is one of passion, mentorship and smart business practices that have made him not only a chef, but also a successful entrepreneur who continues to innovate and encourage the culinary world.
And his parting advice to aspiring entrepreneurs? “Be true to yourself and be as authentic as you can to who you are.”
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