Having a conversation with Stephanie Nass, founder of Chefanie, inevitably leaves you inspired to host your next gathering or refresh your tableware, at the very least. A creative force, Stephanie founded her culinary-driven lifestyle brand just a year post-grad, and it has since evolved into a social media favorite and go-to source for stylish homegoods and beyond. Case in point: her book with Rizzoli, ‘Swing By!: Entertaining Recipes and the New Art of Gathering,’ just became available for pre-sale and will be released in September. Read on to learn how she develops her unique product offerings, how she’s navigated global expansion and the advice she’d impart on anyone launching their own biz.
Tell us about your career before founding Chefanie in 2014.
There was not much of it... Only one year between graduating college and founding my company! In that period, I was a financial analyst at a database software company in Silicon Valley.
It's crazy (and very lucky) to say, but from a young age, I knew that I wanted to create a culinary-driven lifestyle brand. I made many decisions based on this goal including my internships and stages during school. That said, having studied art and cooked a bunch in restaurants as an undergrad, I knew that I was lacking financial knowledge to start a business, so my first job really filled that gap and prepared me for what was to follow.
What was the inspiration behind Chefanie, and how did it evolve into a culinary lifestyle brand?
The inspiration is a deep passion for bringing people together over edible and visual beauty. In terms of evolution, the supper club I started hosting in my first apartment led to a catering business, which positioned me to share my culinary knowledge on my social media platforms and TV, while also blossoming into a homegoods business.
The fashion world and social media influencer landscape have unique demands. How did your background in these areas influence the creation and development of Chefanie?
The fashion industry does photos best, and content creators have taken note, following suit. People need to fall in love, and imagery is critical to helping that happen. Investing in photoshoots is a priority, and we shoot each holiday 4-6 months before it, allowing us to show our wholesale partners product with enough time to produce for them.
Victory Club, corporate events, and hundreds of other engagements – how have these experiences shaped your expertise in the art of entertaining, and what lessons have you learned along the way?
Practice makes perfect ... or almost. All these events over all these years have honed my knowledge and perspective on the art of entertaining. More on this in my forthcoming book with Rizzoli :)
Your products, from Chefanie Sheets to the tableware and accessories lines, have garnered attention globally. Can you walk us through your approach to product development and the key considerations you consider when launching new items under the Chefanie brand?
I really focus on producing things that are not easily available in the market and/or can be made at a more accessible price. As I'm an avid consumer of tableware and homegoods and as a person who lives on Earth, I avoid redundancy. When i'm working on something totally novel, I create a mock-up with paint or Photoshop.
Your products are available globally, from Revolve to boutique stores across various continents. How do you approach international expansion?
I really credit Instagram and other digital channels with this wide reach! I invest in sharing high quality photos and videos daily. Social media does not have international borders, and these platforms do an amazingggg job of serving our content to a relevant audience. So we've been able to connect with wholesale accounts all over the world by communicating our aesthetic.
How do you connect with the millennial and Gen Z audiences who are enthusiastic about elevated entertaining?
Again, social media content - but more video than flat imagery... more Tiktok than Pinterest.
Can you share any exciting collaborations or partnerships Chefanie has been involved in, and how do these alliances contribute to the brand's growth and visibility?
Nothing I love more than partnering with brands on campaigns. It is a joy to share products that I love with my audiences. The cross tagging means both brands benefit from double the audience. Also love design collaborations, which is something we've done from shoes to cookies.
As a creator and entrepreneur, what advice do you have for aspiring individuals in the culinary and lifestyle industry, particularly those looking to create a brand?
My best advice is to start. Once you get going, you'll get feedback in the wild. Then it's up to you to decide how and if you want to incorporate it!
Jenelle Hamilton Inc.
View ProfileAZZI+CO
View ProfileApollo Theater
View ProfileSmall Luxury Hotels of the World
View ProfileCadillac
View ProfileSEEN Group
View ProfileMarie Claire
View ProfileSmall Girls PR
View ProfileIRO PARIS
View Profile12.29
View ProfileChristie’s.
View ProfileCare of Chan
View ProfileFunctional Creative Design
View ProfileParasol Marketing
View ProfilePurple
View ProfileEddie Zaratsian
View ProfileNike Communications
View ProfileLaura Neilson
View ProfileBecca
View ProfileWalker Drawas
View ProfileBillion Dollar Boy
View ProfileCarfrae Consulting
View ProfileRelevance International
View ProfileMMCurate
View ProfileKWT Global
View ProfileBrandstyle Communications
View ProfilePK PR & BRANDING
View ProfileThe 5th Column
View ProfileBlack Frame
View ProfileQuinn PR
View ProfileMMGY Wagstaff
View ProfileTaco Bell
View ProfileKate Spade
View ProfileBICOM Communications
View ProfileFactory PR
View ProfileMagrino Agency
View ProfilePreferred Hotels & Resorts
View ProfileElliot Carlyle
View ProfileStylists to a T
View ProfileThe Brandman Agency
View ProfileCabana
View ProfileCultural Counsel
View ProfileCJC Insights
View ProfileRon Wendt Design
View ProfileBullfrog + Baum
View ProfileThe Communications Bureau
View ProfileLaForce
View ProfileThe Communications Store
View ProfileGeneral Motors
View ProfileKensington Grey
View ProfileDi Petroff PR
View ProfileH&S
View ProfilePaul Wilmot Communications
View ProfileCatherine Miran Press Office
View ProfileLinda Gaunt Communications
View ProfileThe Gathery
View ProfileWhitney Museum of American Art
View ProfileBerlinRosen
View Profilealice + olivia
View ProfileLaForce
View ProfileBacchus Agency
View ProfileLesley Vecsler Communications
View ProfileSimmons PR
View ProfileVan Wyck & Van Wyck
View ProfileBPCM
View ProfileAlpha Kilo
View ProfileBattalion PR
View ProfileJ Public Relations
View ProfileBlack Flower Agency
View ProfileMeg Connolly Communications
View ProfileWednesday Agency
View ProfileTHE CONSULTANCY PR
View ProfileNJF an MMGY Global Company
View ProfileAmazon
View ProfileClaur Magazine & Creative Agency
View ProfileChristie's
View ProfileRachel Cole Art Advisory
View ProfileModern Luxury
View ProfileThe Select 7
View ProfileNike Communications
View ProfileSoho House & Co.
View ProfileLFB Media Group, BMF Media
View ProfileBrandstyle Communications
View ProfileLittle Gem
View ProfileMillerKnoll
View ProfileThe A List
View Profileaf&co.
View ProfileM18
View ProfileThe Flair Index
View ProfileSHADOW
View ProfileNo. 29 Communications
View Profile12.29
View ProfileSix One Agency
View ProfileModern Luxury
View ProfileAlison Brod Marketing + Communications
View ProfileMKG
View ProfilePR Consulting
View ProfileChristie's
View ProfileThe Berman Group
View ProfileEmily P. Wheeler
View Profileb.good PR
View ProfilePineapple Co / MKG
View ProfileBMF
View ProfileGia Kuan Consulting
View Profile