

Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Santos.
Hi Justin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up cooking at home with my grandparents. I had always worked in hospitality, working my way up to bartending and fine dining. On my honeymoon in Spain, while reading a book by the late great Anthony Bourdain, day drunk on sangria, eating REAL Spanish tapas, I had a Eureka moment. Food was meant to make you feel something. I looked at my wife and said I’m going to enroll in culinary school when we get home. She laughed off the idea and we continued our European vacation. Once we returned home, I enrolled in culinary school and my journey began in earnest. I got an internship at Epping Forest Yacht Club, and continued to work there for about 6 years, before moving out the Lodge and Club out in Ponte Vedra for 2 years. My wife passed suddenly, and I became very depressed. My bulldogs, and getting tattooed became the only things that made me feel something anymore. Eventually I decided that cooking for others still brought me joy, but it had to be on my terms. My bulldogs were pandemic puppies, and had never known someone not being home. Being they kept me sane and going through the toughest period of my life, it felt wildly unfair to go back to working 10+ hrs days in a hot kitchen and leaving them home alone all the time. So I decided I was going to cook, but I was going to do it my way. In a way that allowed me to enjoy a quality of life and flexible schedule to spend most of my time doing what really makes me happy. The Blade and Bulldog catering company was born!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The learning curve for starting my own business has been steep. Plenty of lessons along the way that I had to learn by trial and error. I’m much more of a creative/freewheeling type, so all the minutia of the business was never really my strong suit. I would so much rather cook and entertain for the evening than worry about P&L sheets. Going out on my own has been the best move I’ve ever made. My only regret is I didnt do it sooner.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I love to cook. I like to call my food, “fancy food for rich people” because of my background working in high end country clubs. I love to cook Italian, as its what I grew up cooking with my grandparents. Its simplicity, and dedication to quality ingredients is just so honest and feels like home to me. I love Spanish food, as thats where I truly had a revelation that food was meant to make you FEEL something. Instant recall to a childhood memory, or a moment in time on a vacation somewhere. I like to think that my food speaks for itself, and my personality really makes the experience something to remember. I love to story tell, answer cooking questions, talk about sports or vacation…just think of me as another friend who showed up for your occasion! Being an intimate part of people’s personal moments is 1 of my favorite parts of the job!
What are your plans for the future?
Just trying to keep growing my catering business. Truly enjoying what I do, and the work-life balance I’ve created for myself.
Pricing:
- Chef services begin at $300. This is a luxury experience.
- Pricing is dependant on whats on the menu itself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Thebladeandbulldog.com
- Instagram: @TheBladeAndBulldog
- Facebook: TheBladeAndBulldog