“We all have the right to try something different, to express ourselves, to challenge ourselves,” says Jane Bertch, owner of La Cuisine Paris and author of the memoir “The French Ingredient.” In this episode, she joins Nesha Pai to share her journey from banking to entrepreneurship in Paris. Jane explains how a vision during a low point in her life led her to create La Cuisine Paris, overcoming skepticism from her family and the French community. She emphasizes the importance of listening to the universe and dreaming big, even in challenging times.
This episode also delves into the cultural differences between France and the United States, particularly in forming friendships, and debunks myths about living in Paris. Highlighting the city’s beauty and challenges, Jane stresses the need to respect French culture for a richer experience. She hopes her work inspires others to pursue their dreams, with Nesha echoing the importance of evolving throughout life.
Quotes
“There are so many people who put pressure on themselves to find this passion, to chase a dream that they haven’t discovered yet. And La Cuisine was not my dream. It was a vision that came to me and my dream became to realize it. And that can happen to any of us at any time.” (05:01 | Jane Bertch)
“We all have the right to try something different, to express ourselves, to challenge ourselves. And at this ripe age, I feel like I finally do that unintentionally, which is good. It’s in my subconscious.” (14:43 | Jane Bertch)
“Why did I write that memoir? I guess that memoir for me was a little legacy of—I hope whoever picks it up sees beyond the Paris story and says to themselves, ‘What the heck, if this gal from Chicago who knew nothing about anything was able to completely pick up and pivot her life and do something different, then I can do whatever I want.’ So, if my legacy is a small, small, small bit of inspiration that somebody says, ‘You know what, I’m just going to try my best, and I’m going to do it, and I’m not going to self-doubt.’—if that’s what I can impart upon people, I’ll feel good.” (30:21 | Jane Bertch)
Connect with Jane Bertch:
https://www.instagram.com/janebertch/
https://www.instagram.com/lacuisineparis/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/French-Ingredient-Making-Lesson-Memoir/dp/0593500423
Connect with Nesha:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/neshapai/
Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/@neshapai1480/videos
