Today we’d like to introduce you to Shamar Paisley.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
T.L.O.S. Catering actually started long before I ever thought about owning a catering business. T.L.O.S. came from a saying I used to say so much that I would annoy my family with it. When my daughter was very young, I would even tell her that one day I was going to turn that saying into a business. At the time, I didn’t know exactly what that business would be, but the name and the idea always stayed with me.
Food was already a big part of my life. I gained experience working in my father’s restaurant, where I had the opportunity to work in just about every position. That gave me firsthand experience with not only cooking, but also customer service and the day-to-day work that goes into running a food business.
In 2022, I finally decided to take a chance on myself and turn T.L.O.S. into something real. Instead of jumping straight into opening a restaurant, I started doing street fairs. My goal was simple: get my name out there, let people experience my food and see whether I could build something from it.
My background is Jamaican and my wife is Puerto Rican, so as the business developed, I wanted the food to represent both of our cultures along with some of the American soul food we love. That became the identity behind T.L.O.S. Catering — Jamaican-Puerto Rican fusion and “Two Flags, One Flame.”
Since then, we’ve grown from street fairs into catering weddings, private parties and other events throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Some of the people who originally discovered us at a street fair have continued supporting us and have trusted us to cater important moments in their lives. That means a lot to me because those street fairs were where I took my first real chance on the business.
Today, I still work full-time as a truck driver while building T.L.O.S., but my goal is to eventually make the business my full-time career and have a permanent location of our own. What started as a saying I used to drive my family crazy with has turned into something real — something that represents my family, our cultures and something I hope to build into a legacy for my children.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. The food business is one of the hardest businesses to be in, and I truly believe you have to be passionate about it or leave it alone.
When people see us at a street fair or catering an event, they see the finished product — the food, the setup and everyone enjoying themselves. What they don’t see are the long hours behind it. There are plenty of early mornings, late nights and times when I’m operating on very little sleep. There’s shopping, prepping, cooking, loading equipment, traveling, setting up, serving, breaking everything down and then doing it all over again.
There are also sacrifices that come with building a business while working a full-time job. I’ve had to sacrifice family time, weekends and sleep to keep pursuing something I believe in. Street fairs bring another challenge because you can spend days preparing and thousands of dollars on food, supplies, transportation and staffing, and then something as simple as bad weather can completely change the outcome of an event.
Financially, I’ve also had to learn when to take risks and when to say no. Growing a business isn’t just about making good food — I’ve had to learn pricing, marketing, permits, regulations, customer service and the business side of the industry, sometimes by making mistakes and learning from them.
But those challenges have also made me better. Every event has taught me something about my food, my customers and how I want to run T.L.O.S. I’m still learning and still building. There have definitely been moments when things didn’t go according to plan, but I’ve never lost the belief that I can turn this into something much bigger.
As you know, we’re big fans of T.L.O.S. Catering . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
T.L.O.S. Catering is a Jamaican-Puerto Rican fusion catering company based in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Our slogan, “Two Flags, One Flame,” represents exactly what we’re about — bringing two cultures together through food, while also incorporating some of the American soul food flavors we grew up enjoying.
We specialize in catering weddings, private parties, corporate events and other special occasions, while also participating in street fairs and community events throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Some of the dishes we’ve become known for include our jerk chicken, pernil, empanadas, baked mac & cheese, arroz con gandules, rice & peas and our homemade drinks and sauces.
What sets T.L.O.S. apart is that we don’t try to fit into one box. You can have Jamaican jerk chicken sitting alongside Puerto Rican arroz con gandules, empanadas and soul-food-style baked mac & cheese, and somehow it all belongs together. That combination reflects my family and is what makes the brand authentic to us.
What I’m most proud of is the reputation we’ve been able to build without having a permanent storefront. We started by taking our food directly to people at street fairs and letting the food speak for itself. Many of those customers have continued following and supporting us, placed catering orders and recommended us to others.
I want people to know that T.L.O.S. is about more than providing food for an event. When someone chooses us for a wedding, birthday, family celebration or any special occasion, they’re trusting us to be part of a memory they’re creating. I take that responsibility seriously. My goal is for people to remember not only what they ate, but the experience they had with us.
We’re still growing, and I believe we’re only scratching the surface of what T.L.O.S. can become. Eventually, I want people to recognize “Two Flags, One Flame” and immediately know the food, the flavors and the experience behind it.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something that surprises a lot of people is that T.L.O.S. Catering isn’t my full-time job — at least not yet. I’m actually a full-time truck driver, and I’ve been building this business around my work schedule.
There have been plenty of times when I’ve worked a full shift, come home and immediately started prepping for a catering job or street fair. Sometimes that means cooking late into the night, getting only a few hours of sleep and then getting right back up to make sure everything is ready.
When customers see our setup at an event, I don’t think most realize that this business is being built during the hours when I could be resting or doing something else. I’ve chosen to invest that time into something I believe can eventually become my full-time career.
My goal isn’t to drive a truck forever while catering on the side. I’m working toward the day when T.L.O.S. is what I wake up every morning to do. Until then, I’m willing to put in both shifts.
Pricing:
- Catering: Custom pricing based on menu, guest count & service needs
- Drop-Off Catering: Available for private & corporate events
- Weddings & Large Events: Custom quotes available
- Private Chef / Special Events: Pricing available upon request
- Current Menu & Pricing: Available at tlosempire.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tlosempire.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tloscatering
- Other: https://g.page/r/CauouPBbVYpZECE/review
