Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Stewart.

Christopher, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story started very early on. I come from a very skilled and leader focused family who also loves food, dining and hospitality. We have had the extreme privilege of being able to enjoy food and dining willingly and freely at a high level and that is due to my late grandfather being an Executive Chef at some very prominent hotels throughout his career. I like to say I was literally born to do what I do. He and my family granted me the space to explore all kinds of cuisines and there was simply never a food that I couldn’t taste. Dining out was just our norm and it really exposed me to different cultures and levels of hospitality.

I followed in his footsteps knowing I wanted to be a Chef, which came true when I graduated from The Culinary Institute of America and began carving out my own food and restaurant journey. I became Executive Chef at 25 and just kept building a passion for all things restaurants and dining. Now, I’m intertwining everything I have learned and experienced and laying all of this into my brands while still working day to day in the restaurant industry that I love so much.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My restaurant career has not been a smooth road, especially as I have been in the fine dining space where in some situations I was the only woman. I’ve been the only woman in my culinary school classes and workspaces and all the time I’ve been the only black woman in all spaces. Being a black woman in not only the fine dining space but the male dominated restaurant industry in general, tends to be an instant correlation of thinking that I only gear towards one style of cooking and I stopped that very early on. Adding to this I am also a woman who loves beauty and femininity and that used to not land so well with my male Chef colleagues. I am glad however that I stuck true to my core and found a happy landing place in such a harsh, hectic and fast paced environment.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I like to say my professional life is in three parts that all coincide with each other in my everyday life. Formally, I am a classically trained Chef working in the restaurant industry for close to 20 years. I currently handle reservations, group dining and guest relations for 3 popular restaurants in NYC. I’m the fixer; I put the systems in place to help the guest experience become seamless, the dining room run efficiently and also increase revenue across the properties. Next is Eating Fabulously, my food, dining and lifestyle brand that I started in 2009 where I share under 15 ingredient seasonal restaurant inspired recipes, I break down restaurant dynamics and everything else which I curate evolving around my day to day lifestyle. And last but not least, I am constantly developing The Mise Group, which is my micro unique food, restaurant & Chef management concept, with a focus on helping restaurants and food persons get streamlined for success. What sets me apart from other’s is that I started my career as a cook; and the discipline that comes with working in the back of the house has helped me maneuver the front of the house from an internal lens. I understand what restaurants and diners need before they even know what they need.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
With me, support comes in many forms; it’s subscribing to my email list; it’s purchasing some merch from my online store and it’s mentioning both my name and my brands in rooms that I’m not in. It’s inviting me as a guest on your podcast for a conversation to share my story and unique perspective or asking to interview me for your publication so I can expand my reach as organically as possible. Support is important; every time a story is told it reaches new heights and I’m always shooting for the stars.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eatingfabulously.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatingfabulously
• Other: https://eatfabshopfab.bigcartel.com/