Meet Enan + Jennifer Parezo | Private Chefs of Charleston & Involved Parents

We had the good fortune of connecting with Enan + Jennifer Parezo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Enan + Jennifer, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
We are go-getters. We are hard workers. We like to hustle. No matter what stage of our lives that we are in, we continue to find ways to challenge ourselves and bring out our best. With that being our mindsets, we knew early on that we had to set boundaries if we were going to be successful in marrying our business ventures with our personal lives. Over time, we learned that achieving a healthy work/life balance is a delicate task which requires constant attention and maintenance.

Prior to starting our business, we had each been working two jobs, not for the pay per se (although that was a nice perk at such a youthful age) but for the knowledge of our craft. We were young and hungry. We knew we wanted to own our own business one day, but we wanted to make sure we had enough hands-on experience to make it a success. At this time we didn’t have our children, so we capitalized on the time we had and put in the extra hours to absorb as much as we could.

Fast-forward to 2010 when we started our business, 26 Divine – Private Chefs of Charleston. Over this period, we got married, started our business, had our two beautiful children, and ran 26 Divine side-by-side in the up and coming food mecca that Charleston is today. Charleston had always been known for its southern charm and hospitality, which is what originally drew us in. However, during this time, we were starting to get recognition from around the world which was very exciting for the city and allowed us to show off our creative side. We were able to procure these memorable experiences for not only our locals but for Charleston vacation travelers as well. And business was booming with our dinner parties and tea parties.

Ten years had flown by. It was now 2020; Covid hit the world out of nowhere. Although it was shocking and unexpected, it made us recognize that our lives had become unbalanced without us even knowing it. We were taking on too much, which led to us starting to feel uninspired. We took this mandated pause from operating our business and reorganized ourselves so that we would not only be happy, successful business partners but also happy, successful life partners and parents. We wanted to be there for our children and each other but also be there for our clients whole-heartedly. We adapted ourselves and made neccessary changes to our operation so that we could do both.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
In any industry, you have to set yourself apart in order to stand out and be successful. Finding balance between our work and private lives has been the key to our success and happiness. We adapt very quickly to any situation due to our proficient set of skills, but more importantly, over time we have learned the ability to sometimes say “No, thank you” to a potential client. As small business owners, there are no guarantees. Typically, it is either a financial monsoon or a drought. Understanding how to charter these unpredictable pecuniary waters and modify your habits takes a lot of patience, hard work, and determination. When you are in an economic dry spell, it’s hard to turn away any business (even if it’s not a good fit) that comes your way. However, sometimes you have to do just that in order to have balance, be there for your family, and continue doing what makes you happy. We have found our niche in Charleston which has allowed us to connect with the right client for our set of skills.

Our business, 26 Divine – Private Chefs of Charleston, specializes in private In-home Full Service Dinner Parties and Afternoon Tea Parties. We come into our clients’s home or vacation home, set everything up, prepare a delicious meal, make sure that all guests are having a good time and are comfortable, and clean everything up for our hosts. Everything is customized based on the type of event or occasion, number of guests, and style preference that our client desires. We come by prior to the event date and complete a site-visit to go over all of the details to ensure the success of the event. In addition to this Full Service option, we also offer Drop-off Catering for multi-night meals or tea kits to self-serve your guests.

This niche service that we offer, is perfect for locals and travelers of Charleston. Our experience and passion gives us the advantage of taking care of our clients on the highest level in hospitality. Over time, we realized this is what we are meant to do. We love creating memorable events and delicious dining experiences for our guests that they will relish forever.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Most everyone at this point knows how amazing Charleston is; the grand live oak trees whispering their welcomes to visitors is just the beginning. We feel a sense of privilege to live and work in such a beautiful and hospitality driven city, because southern hospitality is unparalleled. There is a certain style of graciousness in the south that is warm and comforting even to strangers. “Spilling the tea” with friends in the warm afternoon sun or indulging in fresh local shrimp on the water; there’s always a story to be shared among friends. We don’t say, “Nice to meet you”, we say “Nice to see you” because whether you know it or not, we’re already friends.

There are so many wonderful places to explore and visit in Charleston, it’s hard to narrow the list down to our favorites, but here’s a few:

Beaches – Folly Beach and Isle of Palms
Concerts – Music Hall, Performing Arts Center, and Riverfront Park
Plays – Gaillard Center and 34 West
Fun Hangouts – Shem Creek, Tiki Hut Tours, and Holy City Brewery
Perfect Getaway – Middleton Inn
Great Dinner – Wild Olive and Charleston Grill
Great Lunch Spot – Poe’s Tavern and Rita’s Seaside Grill
Something to see – Angel Oak Tree

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We want to take a moment to thank our children, Grayson and Savannah. You have helped us prioritize our lives into a way we never could have imagined before. You are our biggest motivators and simaltaneously our largest critics, which helps us face and react to the difficulties and pleasures of balancing our business and our family life. We hope to show you that with hard work, determination, and patience you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

We would also like to thank our parents for raising us to be strong minded individuals and for all the love and guidence they have given us. We appreciate everything you all have done for us to help us get to where we are today.

Jennifer would like to send a special thanks to her club soccer coaches and teammates in Arizona. You helped me live my dreams through my passion of playing the beautiful game. It’s encouraged me to see the importance of putting in the time to be better at whatever you want to achieve, understand how to count on and work with others for a common shared goal, and to never, ever give up.

Website: www.26divine.com

Instagram: @26divine