Chef and Owner of The Source Cafe Talks Entrepreneurship During COVID-19
BY AMBER CAUDLE
I opened up The Source Cafe in Hermosa Beach eight years ago. I had reached my breaking point with my body and health. After 15+ years as a chef, working long hours on my feet, without understanding the dangerous consequences of a constant state of high stress, limited sleep, and high expectations, my lack of proper self care turned out to be toxic for my mind and body.
I was always exhausted, addicted to caffeine and sugar, full of inflammation, in pain and basically unhappy. With this realization, I spent time at a detoxifying spiritual retreat center where I gained a life changing perspective. I began to understand how food, the thing I love to create, could be my medicine.
The Healing Properties of Food
I was determined to learn everything I could about the healing properties of food and heal myself. I also realized that I was not the only one that needed healing. I was inspired to open The Source Cafe to provide nourishing, beautiful food to heal others.
Still, today, what keeps me going, is my passion to make a paradigm shift in the world and people’s lives through food. I was also craving to create a community where people could gather and connect with other like minded souls. The Source has become that over the years. This has always been so important to me.
“I was inspired to open The Source Cafe to provide nourishing, beautiful food to heal others.”
— Chef Amber Caudle
Choosing Risk in Pursuit of Growth
Over the years, I have always pushed myself to stay innovative and anticipate what my customers want. I have also learned to take risks. Without risk, there is no growth. And without having fallen on my face 1,000 times, there would be no success.
I do not believe that failures are negative. I believe that our failures become golden moments that push us outside of our limited beliefs so that we can grow. This is the mindset I have had over the years, as I push myself and my team to be the best we can be.
Expanding The Source Cafe During COVID-19
2020 has been a big year for The Source team. I am blessed to have two amazing partners who have helped in the expansion of The Source Manhattan Beach this year. We opened in July — it has been a wild ride!
I have had the vision to open Manhattan for a couple years now. I started visualizing exactly what I wanted and how I wanted the space to look and feel. I wanted a place where people could meet and connect over a glass of biodynamic wine and some sexy, healthy organic food.
It has been such a blessing to open during such challenging times. I have an amazing team and couldn't have done it without them and their support.
Finding a Supportive Team and Community
This year, I realized that it is crucial to surround ourselves with the right people — the kind of people who support and give, versus the kind of people that drain and take.
As we were opening, I kept my vision and intention clear on what I wanted. Yet, it has been an emotional, challenging experience having to open and close both of my restaurants during COVID. I’ve been leaning into faith and trust. I grasped onto my spiritual beliefs, faith and meditation to keep pushing me through this year — to stay resilient and strong.
Another blessing — that also happened this year during COVID — is that I finished my cookbook, “Sexy Nourishing Food to Heal Your Body!”
I have been working on this for about three years. It came to fruition before I opened up Manhattan! I am hoping it will be on the shelves beginning of 2021.
What’s Next for Chef Amber?
Projects ahead of me right now (because as an entrepreneur can't stop creating and pushing myself) are to:
Write a second book about my relationship with food over the years
Offer meal plans and delivery
Dip into the wholesale market and sell some of the famous Source Balls in different markets
Create a YouTube channel
Do more Zoom cooking classes!
I feel like I always have a million things I am working on! To close out, I always strive to be the best version of myself so that I can inspire and help someone on their health journey. My intention is still the same as it was eight years ago when I started The Source. It’s to bring my knowledge to others, helping them change their lives, one bite at a time.