We've been itching to announce this earlier but finally finalized it. Today is the day! We were approved as a vendor for "The 11th Annual Muay Thai Tournament" at Castle Rock Fairgrounds this SUNDAY!!! We are thrilled to announce this is the FIRST and BIGGEST event to serve our famous "STREET TACOS" with Ground beef, chicken, and Carnitas tacos!
Wait, you may wonder what Muay Thai is and what it got to do with a personal chef blog. Yes, it's a bit sentimental and nostalgic blog, but it's also about a community.
Muay Thai is a martial art from Thailand. It is also called "The Art of Eight Limbs" because, unlike kickboxing, Muay Thai fighters use elbows, knees, and clinch techniques along with punches and kicks.
*Video Courtesy by Muay Thai of Colorado*
My "the art of 8 limbs" journey started when I met the man, although I didn't know this journey would change my life.
It was the day I was working as a server at a Japanese restaurant when I saw a young man walk into the restaurant. He sat down and politely ordered food from me. It was after the lunch rush, and only a few customers were there. I felt urgent to ask him if he was a teacher or a student when I saw his T-shirt with a logo that showed "Kickboxing." At the time, I had just left the membership from an American kickboxing gym that I used to love, with very ungraceful, disappointing experiences. He looked and smiled at me and said, "I teach. Come and check it out sometime." and gave me his business card with his name "Oscar Martinez" and his business name, "Muay Thai of Colorado" on it.
I held the card for several weeks, or even months, thinking this gym would be another disappointment like the previous one. Now I look back and know what a chance the universe gave me. I would never know this young man and his wife, Jessica, would make me a better person through Muay Thai if I had thrown his business card away and didn't have the courage to go to his academy.
His academy had a much smaller group of members than the previous gym, it was either his second or third year since he started his business, and he was renting a space from a Karate dojo. I had no clue about Muay Thai, and there was no woman, but all the scary-looked young men with tattoos all over their bodies in the morning class. Although, I quickly learned I should never judge a book by its cover. Those scary-looked young men became my best practice partners. One even ran and helped me with conditioning drills after the class. They were gentle and patient and pushed me to get better at it.
After years later, I started seeing more women in the morning classes, but still, it was a handful of the members. I was so happy and loved partnering with them at every opportunity I got, and we became friends. Over the years, his business grew, and what used to be a few women students once became more than his class could hold, so they created a class just for women. He moved his academy to a new and beautiful place, and now trains several professional Muay Thai and UFC fighters on top of his regular morning and evening classes.
Sometimes I feel like I only know a few people who still exercise at the academy now that there are so many new faces when I go there. But then, when Oscar and Jessica asked us to cater food to celebrate their 20th anniversary a month ago, new faces and old faces mingled, chatting, and eating our food, just like they've known each other for many years.
That's the community they build.
I'm forever honored that I was a tiny part of it. By becoming an extended family, after years of laughter we shared and tears we shed, celebrating our successes and going through struggles together.
What have I learned from Muay Thai? I've worked in kitchens at some restaurants in the past. If you've ever worked in a restaurant kitchen, you know how high you'd get when you feel you are working as a "team." Kru (means teacher) Oscar and Jessica taught and reminded me of that. Discipline, focus, hard work, self-confidence, humility, and how to be a "team," Most importantly, the opponent is not the person I was fighting against.(although I never fought, I only experienced sparring) The true opponent was the voice inside my head that keeps whispering, "You can't." There will always be great supporters when I reach out, and to this day, I remind myself when I feel anxious and procrastinate on my personal chef business journey.
A gym isn't just a gym, especially at Muay Thai of Colorado. It can be another way for you to create a long-lasting friendship and become an "extended" family through punching and kicking, clinching, and sweating.
On the other hand, U n I Personal Chef Services wants to create a new community and become an extended family through our delicous, but healthy food that tailors to your daily needs. We may not help you with your exercise routine, but we can help you achieve your health goals with customized meal planning as a part of your "team"!
Are you an athlete, a weekend warrior, or do you just not have time to plan and prep healthy meals? We're offering a special deal for an In-home weekly meal prep service for a limited time! Contact us TODAY!
Come and watch the tournament because it's an all-day event with 200 competitors and 90 bouts! You and your friends and family will have a great time! See you all there!
