Tiffany Foster builds Boujee Boards

Tiffany Foster, following in her mother, Andrea Foster’s entrepreneurial footsteps, founded her own business three years ago.

“I thank her for the creativity that she would have invested in me through her business – Special Kreations Events and Decor. Through her, I would’ve gotten that drive, encouragement, and sometimes, financial push to really elevate myself, and for that I am eternally grateful,” she shared with The Gleaner on the sidelines of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Summit 2024 on Wednesday.

Foster established “an artisan charcuterie experience” called Boujee Boards, which she primarily operates by herself.

The head curator of the company, which is accessible islandwide, said that what inspired her to start this line of work was when an individual from overseas made a request of her – after receiving a recommendation from a friend - to organise a picnic for a wedding proposal in the Blue Mountains.

“This would’ve been the first time that I personally would have heard the word charcuterie,” she admitted, noting, however, that she was already familiar with “meats and cheeses on a board with crackers”, owing to her background of working in the hospitality luxury industry for more than 10 years.

“I would say that that experience really transcended my perspective on a lot of aspects of life, so I do enjoy the finer things in life, and that was the birth of the name – Boujee Boards by Tiff,” the 30-year-old said.

The word ‘charcuterie’ is a French term that refers to prepared meats, such as sausage, ham and bacon.

In recent years, the charcuterie board has gained popularity in the United States as an appetiser or party snack option. Essentially, these boards should only contain French meat products, but over time, the definition of the word has expanded to include assorted meats, a variety of cheeses, nuts, fruits, vegetables, breads, crackers, and even sauces.

“But charcuterie for me, I have elevated the experience. So it’s not just having a placement of cheeses, [meats],, and crackers but elevating it by putting it in a way where the aesthetics almost makes it tempting and for you not wanting to consume it. So it’s often been labelled as ‘too pretty to eat’,” Foster explained.

A UNIQUE SERVICE

The University of Technology, Jamaica graduate who studied hotel and resort management, takes immense pride in providing unique, personalised service to customers when handling an order.

“No two boards are alike, no two tables are alike, no two customer experiences are alike. In this world where everything is so chaotic and things are changing, you want someone to really give you a hand-held experience, and that is what we curate for you,” Foster said.

She further emphasised how crucial it was for her to try to incorporate 100 per cent Jamaican-made items when filling her orders. As a result, she obtains her wooden boards from local artisans and the high-quality chocolates used are produced locally.

Foster participated in the AWE programme, which is facilitated through the Youth for Development Network (YFDN) and funded by the United States Embassy. There, she received training and knowledge to improve her entrepreneurial skills and launch a business effectively.

She said that Jamaicans are slowly gravitating towards the charcuterie experience and are becoming “culinary explorers”.

“It’s awe inspiring how you can really transcend someone’s perspective on something because you look at it and you say ‘Oh, I’m not eating things that have been put out or things that are touching’, but when someone presents it to you in this manner or when they pair it for you, you really start to appreciate what it is,” she explained.

Her offerings include a wide range of local and international selections of gourmet meats, cheeses, fruits, and nuts for various occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and corporate events or meetings.

She assembles a team of people to assist her in completing large orders that involve setting up what is known as a charcuterie or graze table. This is a fully decorated, larger scale spread of the same food items that is served on six-foot tables.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com

Tiffancy Foster can be contacted via email at boujeeboardsbytiff@gmail.com or via telephone and WhatsApp at (876) 530-8662. She can also be found on Instagram @boujeeboards_bytiff_ja

Her offerings can also be viewed on the website https://www.boujeeboardsbytiff.com