From Chef to Copywriter: Crafting Brand Narratives

There’s something sacred about the sizzle of brisket fat hitting hot mesquite. In kitchens, I’ve chased perfection for over two decades — plating for senators, musicians, athletes, and anyone who walked through the doors hungry for more than just a meal.

But something changed.

I didn’t leave the kitchen behind. I expanded it. These days, my chef’s knife is a keyboard, and instead of sauces and smoke, I craft story and voice. Turns out, a great dish and a great piece of copy have a lot in common.

1. Mise en place = Messaging Every chef learns mise en place — “everything in its place.” It's the quiet discipline before the rush. Great writing is no different. Whether I’m building a landing page or a long-form article, structure is my prep. If the message isn’t prepped properly, you’re just throwing ingredients into chaos.

2. Voice is Flavor In food, salt doesn’t just season — it unlocks. A great writer does the same with tone. I’ve spent years developing flavors that feel like memory, and now I shape words that taste like trust. Whether it’s a sharp, edgy brand or a soft, soulful founder’s story, I write like a chef: with intention, balance, and boldness.

3. People Buy the Experience, Not Just the Product No one remembers “chicken.” They remember the night their partner surprised them with a perfect coq au vin under candlelight. In copy, you’re not selling a product — you’re selling a moment, a possibility, a better version of the reader’s life.

As a chef, I sold joy. Now I sell connection.

4. Freelance is the New Open Kitchen The shift to freelance was terrifying. But so was my first dinner service running the line solo. Now? It’s freedom. I work with purpose-driven brands, startups trying to find their voice, and founders who want storytelling that feels real.

Every brand has a flavor. My job is to find it and write like hell until it sticks.

Final Bite From searing scallops to scripting subject lines, the medium changed. The mission didn’t.

If you’re looking for a writer who knows how to blend bold ideas with grounded craft — one who’s tasted pressure, led teams, and understands the power of sensory storytelling — I’m already in your kitchen.

Let’s cook something up.

— Amado Casanova Copywriter | Culinary Storyteller | Former Chef with a Knife for Narrative