Meet Patrick LeFils | Music and Food Media Outlet

We had the good fortune of connecting with Patrick LeFils and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Patrick, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
One of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Frankin Covey is to begin with the end in mind. When you start a business you first find a need people have. Then you calculate how long that need may last. These are normally the first two steps when starting a business. That said, I took a much different path when starting my media outlet.

Southern Fellow was developed as a coping mechanism for what was to become a life-altering event. Around five years ago I had my first of many seizures. I could not be the chef once was or participate in my family’s ranch the way I used to. A couple of friends brought up the idea of a recipe website to keep my mind occupied. I did just that for 6 months. Then I met Erinn Peet Lukes a bluegrass artist in Colorado at the time. She asked about a recipe and then the conversation turned to music and the struggles of independent artists. She was looking for a way to collaborate and I pushed the idea away. Then my conscience got the better of me. I reached out and we decided to do a little interview and attach a recipe to it inspired by her band. Two weeks later, that one-off interview got some attention from Nashville. It was then that I knew there was a need/want for what I did and Feed the Band was born.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In short, Southern Fellow brings food and music together in a uniquely delicious way. We interview the hottest new artists and create a recipe around each interview. We do family showcases in Nashville as well as Central Florida. Our family showcases highlight the artists/songwriters that are part of our music family.

This is a unique concept, and because of that uniqueness, it comes with some challenges. Mixing a food audience with a music audience is not as easy as it may sound, but once someone reads an interview or attends a showcase they start to understand our ethos and how everything pulls together. I would say the hardest part about what I do is getting people to be open to original music. Songs that are famous today had a start somewhere and I try to get people excited about being part of that starting point.

If I was going to advise anyone reading this I would tell you to not let fear rule your world. Don’t let it stop you from taking chances even if they seem crazy at first. I never dreamed I would be where I am today, It took me saying yes to things outside my comfort zone to make it happen.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
They would be attending one of our events. That’s a given. lol Also, we most likely won’t be dining out. We would probably cook together or they would watch me cook. I believe you connect more in a kitchen than in a dining room.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my Shoutout to the entire Southern Fellow family. Southern Fellow today is less about me and more about the foodies, music lovers, artists, and music industry professionals who make up this family. I still have a couple of seizures a month and it is amazing the number of people who pick up our family’s banner when I find it hard to. So many of them contribute in so many ways. From taking over our socials to running concerts when I can’t, you are not going to find a better group of people.

Website: www.southernfellow.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernfellow_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernfellowofficial

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtloR8n0gsz-b0-8T2qyn_Q