Elissa’s Sausages For Everyone

Hi everyone, 

My name is Elissa Sok, the Founder of Elissa’s Sausages. Some of you may know me through YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram as “Cooking with Elissa.” If not, I will share a short story of myself and how I got to this point. 

Like many refugees in the United States, my family escaped the war from Cambodia to America seeking safety, shelter, and freedom. We arrived to the United States to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1984 and moved to Stockton, California when I was seven years old. 

We live in Stockton over 36 years in a small community of Asian American, Mexican, and African American. I grew up in the North side of Stockton on Bedlow Drive, which many of us refer to it as the “ghetto” area. Despite where we lived, I accepted the environment and was grateful that we were given equal opportunity for education. 

I graduated from Bear Creek High School, San Joaquin Delta College, CSU Stanislaus, and University of Phoenix with a Master Degree in Business Administrative of Human Resource. Some of my work history and experience included field works, fast food restaurants, management, banking, social service, teaching, trainer, accounting, and entrepreneur.

Along the way, I adopted the American’s way of life and assimilated into the mainstream. I learn to appreciate who I am and love my culture and heritage. Being Cambodian American allow me to express myself and to do the things I love to do being equally regardless of who I am and where I’m from.  

Challenging myself to do things without limits is one of my motivation to keep me moving forward, and grabbing on to new opportunities and not afraid of failing is my confident and believing in myself that anything is possible. To me, failing is a matter of not taking any actions and being afraid because of the uncertainty and unknown. Instead, I over look that and give myself a chance and just do it. Even though if I fail along the way, I would still feel accomplished knowing that I’ve tried and I’ve give it all.

One of my biggest dream is to share Cambodian food to the world, which is often is underrated. Cambodia is a  small beautiful country located in Southeast Asia which had a population about 7 millions in 1970 and after the war ended in 1975, only about 4 millions of the population remain which cause the majority of its history, culture, and religion to be loss or forgotten.

To help restore a piece of what was loss, I’ve started a YouTube channel “Cooking with Elissa” uploading cooking videos and recipes of Cambodian food showing everyone step by step the way I remembered how my mother and grandmother used to prepare food for the family.

In 2020 when COVID hits, I decided to take the next big leap of opening my own restaurant to share my cooking with everyone. I wanted to share this new journey and dreams with my family, friends, fans and followers who have supported me since day one. I am very excited and committed to do my best. 

In order for the restaurant to be ready by the second week of August 2021. I am in desperately need of man power, and equipments . I am reaching out to everyone near and far to help support, and fund this project. 

My goal is to reach at least $30K to cover for the architect design, license permits, and installation for the commercial hood so we can cook food with a open flame using a gas grill, stove, fryer, and griddle. Without these essential equipments, it’s very difficult for us to be successful. 

I know this is a lot to ask and might be impossible to reach. However, I am very optimistic and believe if everyone helps contributing just $1-$5 we will meet our goal.

By help funding this project, you will help us with five different things. First, you will help provide us a clean sanitize kitchen, second you will help support small local business. Third, you will help provide a friendly place for family to eat. Fourth, you will help encourage the young generations to become business owners and fifth you will help make my dream come true.

I believe in a saying, “If there’s a will, there’s a way”, and I truly believe if everyone take a part in this cause, it will be possible and allow us to meet our goal. So please help make this happen by contributing today and share the GoFundMe Elissa’s Sausages page to your family, friends, and any one else that wants to donate for a good cause. 

We’ve come a very long way together and because of everyone believing in me, I step away from my comfort zone and do the impossible. So please continue to love, help support us to be successful by sharing the GoFundMe Elissa’s Sausages account to all your friends, family, coworkers, and any one else that want to donate for a good cause. I’m very excited and looking forward to the day the restaurant to open so we can serve you delicious food. Thank you and take care.

Yours truly, 

Elissa Sok