Chef Allison Coia

Being awarded the Pacesetter Personal Chef Award™ is a wonderful achievement at Personal Chefs Network, Inc.™ The person that receives this special recognition has been carefully selected by Chefs Sharon and Wendy due to their own personal or business success. Many are chosen due to their successful marketing ideas, their wonderful recipes, their activity in the ~Member's Online Community~,™ networking abilities, leaders in the industry, or willingness to share innovative ideas. We like to think outside of the box at Personal Chefs Network™ and we encourage our members to do the same.

Enjoy reading about this successful startup and hopefully this months pacesetter will inspire YOU to take the first step today and join Personal Chefs Network, Inc!™

"THE Place to be, to be the BEST PC!™"

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Cook-A-Doodle-Doo Personal Chef Service was born in October 2001. It was not only a birth of a new company but a rebirth for Allison who finally allowed herself to combine both a passion for cooking for others and her career. Allison created the opportunity to establish her profession after the events of 9/11 left her unemployed. After working for a travel company for 13+ years, she was put on furlough along with many other people affected by those events of that day. After finding and choosing Personal Chefs Network, things started falling into place. PCN was responsible for getting her business off the ground and flying. “Without PCN’s help, I don’t think I would be sitting here today with a PCN Pacesetter award”, says Allison. 

Business Name…Allison was trying to figure out what to name her business and this would be her most difficult decision in launching of her new pursuit. Allison does not take credit for coming up with Cook-A-Doodle-Doo. She had posted a message in a Forum for Businesses asking for assistance in a name for a Personal Chef Business. She received a reply from someone in the Netherlands with three ideas. As soon as Allison saw the name Cook-A-Doodle-Doo, she knew it was the one for her. She does however; take credit for her tagline, "Why fly the coop, when you can dine in the comfort of your own home!"

No doubt, growing up in an Italian household inspired Allison to start cooking. Life for her family revolved around obviously "family" and definitely "food"! Her earliest memories of cooking and food included waking up on Sunday mornings when mother Madalyn, would have a pot of gravy on the stove and the sensational aroma was permeating throughout the house. Just in case you were wondering why some Italians call it gravy, it is because it is meat based. The definition of gravy is "a sauce made from the thickened and seasoned juices of cooked meat." Sunday was synonymous with homemade pasta. When her mother would make Gnocchi, young Allison was commissioned to make sure the rows were perfect. This was so the pasta did not touch each other after Madalyn skillfully tossed them across the table. 

In addition to the delightful Italian culinary treats Allison's family prepared at home, the family also owned a delicatessen and catering business. This combination of this business and home life was the catalyst to Allison’s destiny. Her desire to cook was innate. Her older brother followed their parent’s example and opened his own business after the family business closed. Allison went to work for her brother before moving onto a very large Managed Food Service Company as a first cook. Managed food service did not inspire her as did the family business, so she took an opportunity in the Travel Industry. This experience allowed her to journey to many locations in the world, experiencing many other culinary venues, which nicely compliments her longtime passion for cooking.

Allison often reflects upon how proud her mother would be. Unfortunately, her mother passed away on May 31, 2002 and did get an opportunity to see Allison grow professionally and most importantly personally. Allison knows her mother is proud and she sure her mother is saying, “You need to do it this way”. What would Allison's response be? "Thank you Mom-you were my inspiration." 

Allison also received national recognition from Better Homes and Gardens- She received an award for the cooking contest in the November 2002 issue. Her recipe entitled “Allison’s Succulent Roast Turkey Breast" won an honorable mention award which allowed her name to appear in that issue along with a $50 check. “I was very honored after receiving the news. Now I know why my clients keep asking me over and over again for this dish”, says Allison. 

Not only is Cook-A-Doodle-Doo growing, but also so is Allison as an individual. “The many different people you meet through Networking, PCN and my clients have given me the ability to not only grow my business but to also grow as a person. This business has opened so many doors in my life and I am extremely grateful that I have had this opportunity. This has been the most rewarding experience of my life”, says Allison. 

Hobbies….Allison is very dedicated to raising money for charities by cycling and walking. Her most recent trek took her cycling 150 miles for the MS Society. Her individual fundraising in 5 years for the ACS Bike-a-thon has exceeded $10,000 in 2002. Allison’s next goal is to participate in a 50 mile, 3 day challenge walk also for the MS Society.

“Difficult times have helped me to understand more than ever how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever.”
---ISAK DINESEN

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