We recently connected with Tanisha Carter and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tanisha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Flavors of Change was born at the intersection of survival, surrender, and soul food. I’ve spent the last 9 years cooking from my kitchen, not just feeding people, but healing them—sometimes with nothing but faith, fresh greens, and grit. I lost everything three times and watched God restore me every single time. And through it all, food was the constant. It was how I expressed love, how I connected with people, how I found my way back to myself.

But the real shift came when I realized this gift wasn’t just about cooking—it was about creating access, equity, and empowerment through food. I started working with women transitioning out of incarceration, teaching them how to nourish themselves, budget on tight margins, and believe they were still worthy of a seat at the table. That’s when it hit me: we could do more than feed people—we could free them.

So Flavors of Change became a mission to transform kitchens into classrooms, and meals into moments of rebirth. We’re not just serving breakfast and lunch—we’re building systems that feed futures. Whether it’s school food service, farm-to-table training, or entrepreneurship coaching, everything we touch is about restoring dignity, disrupting cycles, and creating generational opportunity—one plate at a time.

Because at the end of the day, I know what it’s like to lose it all.
Now I’m building a legacy that no one can take away.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Chef T—Tanisha Carter—visionary, culinary artist, storyteller, faith-walker, and founder of both The Foosic Experience and Flavors of Change.

My journey didn’t start in a perfect kitchen. It started in real life—raising kids, surviving loss, and rebuilding my life after hitting rock bottom more than once. Through every storm, food was my therapy, my offering, my anchor. And not just food for the body—but food for the soul. I’ve been in the culinary world professionally for over a decade, but truthfully, this gift has always been part of me. I’ve worked with major food service companies like Compass, Aramark, and Sodexo. But I always knew… I wasn’t meant to just follow a system. I was born to create one.

That’s how The Foosic Experience was born—where food meets music, culture, storytelling, and joy. Whether it’s a five-course plated dinner or a soulful pop-up, I use food to activate all five senses. And now, with Flavors of Change, I’ve expanded that work into school nutrition, workforce development, and culinary justice. I lead a team that provides fresh, nutrient-dense meals to students, trains justice-involved women in the culinary arts, teaches farm-to-table sustainability, and helps underserved communities reclaim their health and their power through food.

What sets me apart? We don’t just cook—we cultivate change.

We don’t just feed people—we employ, empower, and equip them. I’ve built systems from scratch that allow school food to taste like something grandma would be proud of. We write curriculum that teaches people how to grow, cook, budget, and believe again. We train the forgotten, the underestimated, the overlooked—and turn them into culinary professionals with purpose.

I’m most proud of the fact that this isn’t just a business. It’s a calling.
We’re proving that you can serve the community and scale a company. That you can honor your culture and still compete with giants. That you can rise from the ashes and feed the world one plate at a time.

What I want people to know is this: I’m not here for clout—I’m here for legacy.
I’m building something that will outlive me, and every plate, every lesson, every story we tell is rooted in faith, resilience, and radical love.

This is more than food.
This is Flavors of Change.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Honestly? Consistency, community, and cooking from the heart.

I built my reputation one plate at a time. I didn’t have investors. I didn’t have a big team. I had faith, a stove, and a story that wouldn’t let me quit. I stayed consistent when no one was watching—cooking meals out of my home, delivering them myself, feeding people who couldn’t pay just because I knew they needed nourishment.

What helped me stand out was that I never treated it like “just food.” I treated every meal like ministry. Every client like family. Every event like a stage to tell a bigger story. People started to realize, “Chef T doesn’t just make food taste good—she makes you feel something.” Whether it was a plated dinner, a school lunch, or a community cooking class, I showed up with excellence, soul, and intention.

Also, I didn’t try to copy anyone else. I honored my roots. I stayed true to my culture, my values, and my purpose. And even when I didn’t have all the resources, I made sure the experience was always rich. That’s what people remembered.

What really built my reputation was this: I care. Deeply. And people can feel that.
In a world full of trends and templates, I’ve stayed true to my flavor—and that’s what made the difference.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Whew—faith, sweat, and a whole lot of bootstrapping.

When I started, there was no big check waiting for me. No angel investor. Just me, my calling, and a deep knowing that God didn’t bring me this far to leave me. I launched my business with what I had—and that meant turning my home kitchen into a production hub, selling plates, catering small events, and pouring everything I made right back into the vision.

There were times I used my rent money to buy ingredients. Times I lost it all. Three times, in fact. But every time, God restored me—and each loss taught me how to build stronger, leaner, and smarter.

I didn’t have a traditional business loan or startup capital. I had people who believed in me. I had a cousin who held me down (shoutout to Mona), friends who showed up, and clients who paid me because they believed in the experience, not just the food. I sold meals to pay for commercial kitchen rent. I taught classes to fund curriculum printing. I did private chef events to cover my bills so I could keep serving school kids during the week.

I learned how to make $100 stretch like $1,000. I taught myself to design menus, write proposals, track costs, and build systems with no formal training—just purpose.

So when people ask how I got started, I say: I didn’t wait for perfect. I started with what I had.
And now? I’m building something funders will want to invest in—because the foundation is already solid.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/cheft.carter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheft.
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/tanisha (chef t) carter

Image Credits

The Foosic Experience

Flavors of Change