Jason Darnell Gardner known as Chef JGardner was born and raised in the Whitehaven community of Memphis, TN.
Chef JGardner’s passion for cooking began at age 7, when he would cook his favorite foods, pancakes and fried chicken, alongside his grandmother.
Upon graduating from Central High School, Jason went to college to study Biology at The University of TN, Chattanooga. Due to a family emergency, Jason had to return home to Memphis and help his family care for his grandmother. After his grandmother’s transition, Jason vowed to find a way to keep her memory alive.
He began an event planning and catering business with his wife and mother in law in 2011. Jason was thrilled With the success of this family business, until he was hit with another tragedy, and his mother in law passed away in 2015.
In 2016, Jason tapped into the cigar world. He was handpicked to train alongside a famous Cuban cigar roller in Havana, Cuba. With this new skill, Jason provided a hand rolled cigar experience to the folks back home in the United States. In 2017, he opened up an upscale Cigar company called BeLeaf Cigars on one of the most toured places in Memphis, on Elvis Presley Blvd. He also designed the only mobile cigar lounge in Memphis.
With Jason’s long term career with ServiceMaster ending in 2018, He often found himself reminiscing about the times he spent cooking with his grandmother and mother in law. He went back in the kitchen creating meals for functions hosted by family and friends. They couldn’t get enough of his dishes.
Thats when the lightbulb went off and Jason began to utilize his gift and passion for cooking. He soon purchased his first food truck and showcased his amazing skill for cooking by providing Caribbean cuisine, seafood, Memphis BBQ, and dishes that had a hint of New Orleans creole. These very menu items were the start of Jason’s current success.
Jason’s food truck was an instant hit and he was booked for some of Memphis’ largest festivals and events. He was also booked in other cities and states because people were ranting and raving about how delicious his food tastes.
In less than a year of obtaining his food truck, Jason needed more space because his clientele had grown tremendously. It was at that moment, when he decided to bring another business back to the community he was raised in and honor his grandmother’s legacy.
In 2019, Trap Fusion was born in the Whitehaven area. Trap Fusion became an instant staple amongst the Whitehaven residents and surrounding areas. Known for their bizarre food selections, and healthy, yet soulful eats, Trap Fusion was a successful local favorite.
While the tragedy of Covid 19 caused a lot of restaurants to shut their doors, Trap Fusion’s popularity and outstanding customer service awarded them with a second location just one year after opening.
Presently, Trap Fusion continues to lead the quest for excellence and outstanding service in the restaurant industry. The Trap Fusion food truck is still booming and booked to date.
While Jason has now been nicknamed Mr. Trap Fusion, he is still very humble and treats all of his customers and employees with the utmost respect.
Jason’s love, passion, and gift for cooking has afforded him with opportunities to cook both locally and internationally for celebrities, comedians, and athletes. Chef JGardner mentions, “I never have to boast or brag. I just let my food speak for itself.”
Chef JGardner has always wanted to bring business back to the community that raised him and that’s exactly what he did.
When he looks back over the years, he can’t believe how far he has come. He would advise others to, “Believe in yourself, surround yourself with people who believe in you, Build a great team, and work relentlessly.”
Chef JGardner says that his next dream is to retire before the age of 50 while only fishing and cooking for private functions internationally!
Until then, he will keep creating yummy eats, roll cigars, and continue building his empire while making his family and grandmother proud.