Chef RockieBree shares pandemic career success with DTC culinary class

Originally from Daleville and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Miami, where she earned her degree in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management, Oderbert-Hemphill gave the DTC Culinary students advice on college as well as working one’s way up in a competitive business. She said connecting and networking is one of the most important parts of culinary school.

Since graduating JWU, Oderbert-Hemphill has had a variety of jobs in the culinary world, including catering at Fort Rucker, Bay Medical Center, and was a part of the opening team for Chicken Guy!, a restaurant in Disney Springs owned by Guy Fieri.

“I was doing very well at Chicken Guy!, but I realized after all those jobs that I didn’t really want to work in a kitchen,” Oderbert-Hemphill said. “I came back closer to home and started working at St. Joe Club and Resorts as a sous chef, but then the pandemic happened.”

Oderbert-Hemphill lost that job early on in the pandemic and took that as a chance to start her own private chef services in March of 2020.

“I took the last $200 I had and put it toward making a website and put it into my business,” Oderbert-Hemphill said. “Business has sky-rocketed ever since.”

Chef RockieBree LLC has taken off and Oderbert-Hemphill has traveled all around Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and everywhere in between creating private meals for bridal parties, birthday parties, anniversaries, and more.

“I usually am called to parties at rental homes and I come in and make a special meal and then I head out,” said. “I just took a chance and relied on faith when making this decision and it’s really worked out for me.”

Oderbert-Hemphill has focused mostly on word-of-mouth advertising and social media to promote her business during the pandemic.

“Hashtags really work,” Oderbert-Hemphill joked. “I try to make content for my Instagram and website and use hashtags so people can keep up with me, and that’s really all I’ve had to do to keep up with business.”

Oderbert-Hemphill will be back in the area as the Alabama Chef for the Tri-State Expo: A Juneteenth Celebration and Parade, which will feature culinary artistry through African American heritage in cuisines.