Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chala June. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chala, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Food is central to all of the work I do–to my entire life, really–and my journey in food has been a long and winding one. I’ve been cooking my entire life, but my professional culinary career started in 2016 when I got my first prep cook job on a Vietnamese food truck in Boston during college. When I took the job, I was mainly looking for a summer gig that would pay me enough to buy my books in the fall, but I ended up staying at that job through the school year because I loved it so much. I didn’t think selling bahn mi out a truck window in Harvard Square would re-awaken my passion for food, but spirit works in mysterious ways!

After a year on the truck I felt ready to deepen my knowledge and learn real kitchen skills, and I managed to land my first line cook job the following summer at a New American restaurant near Fenway Park. To this day, that was the hardest and most demanding job I’ve ever had, but it was an undeniable crash course in restaurant and dining culture, and I owe a lot of what I know as a chef to that place.

Since then. I’ve worked in almost every pocket of the food and beverage industry imaginable. I’ve been a prep baker, a barista, and even a cheesemonger. Through it all, what’s kept me moving forward has been my “no job too small” mentality—there’s always something to be learned from whatever position you work, and if you seek opportunities for growth, they’ll always find you. Even at jobs that I held for less than a month, I’ve learned skills that have stuck with me years later.

That being said, there are definitely paychecks that are too small, which is why I’ve bounced around so much! The most important skill I’ve learned over the years (aside from knife skills and time management) has been to always advocate for myself and the value of my work. Any time a job would make me feel like they could easily replace me with another worker, I’d remind myself that there are so many other places that would be grateful for what I bring to the table. Never settle for less!

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 wear many hats, but I primarily consider myself to be a culinary storyteller and cultural artist. What that means to me is that I seek out stories that are rooted in food and identity, and use my skills as a writer, orator, performer, and event producer to share and champion those stories. As a Black genderqueer person, creating space for marginalized voices to stand in their brilliance and power has always been important to me, and when I started working in food professionally I started to realize that food is a very impactful medium and lens through which we can uplift those voices.

This holistic approach to the world of food has allowed me a lot of creative breadth in what I’m able to do for work. In 2021, I got brought on as an editor at Bon Appétit magazine, which helped me build my portfolio and establish make the official jump into food media. Working at BA really expanded my horizons as a storyteller, and after two years with the brand I felt called to become a full-time creative freelancer and explore other avenues for telling the stories that inspire me the most.

It’s been a full year since I made that move, and I’ve never found anything more rewarding than pushing myself creatively and professionally every day. Since becoming a freelancer, I’ve not only been able to write for a wider variety of publications like Condé Nast Traveler, Imbibe, and Them, but I’ve also been able to step back into the kitchen and collaborate on pop up community dinners. It’s been such a beautiful journey, and my favorite part of it is that I keep surprising myself with everything I’m able to do.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a full-time creative has to be the fact that I really feel like the master of my own fate, which can be really hard in a job market like the one we’re all navigating right now! While working in corporate media, I had hit a hard wall when it came to channeling my creativity and keeping up with the constantly changing standards of productivity. I had to sit myself down and reflect on the fact that, while I had opportunities to continue growing within the company, I felt like I had done as much personal growth as I could in that environment.

Taking the risk to become a creative freelancer was honestly a gift that I gave myself. I’m not going to pretend the journey has been easy by any means (and Net 30 makes me want to scream), but it has been so fulfilling to know that I don’t have to do any work that doesn’t feel aligned with my personal, financial, and spiritual goals. I get to reclaim my time!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I often joke that networking is half the job as a creative freelancer, but it really isn’t a joke! I spent countless hours every week going to different networking happy hours, dinners, and conferences to meet new people and deepen my connections with those who are already in my network. I make sure that I’m always bringing my A-game to every event because you never know who you’ll meet, and what opportunities they may have available for you. I can honestly say that 90% of the writing assignments I’ve been sent have come from people that I’ve met at an event or a press dinner who said I left a lasting impression on them.

My not-so-secret to networking is just being my genuine self in every room I enter. While it can be nerve-wracking because I never know how strangers will receive me, it’s always the smartest move. Anyone who is turned off by my personality is someone who I’m not meant to work with anyways! But the people who are genuinely interested in me and what I have to say are always the ones who will reach out (maybe even months down the line!) with an opportunity or a gig that specifically made them think of me. The more you invest into building a community of likeminded creatives and entrepreneurs around you, the more they’ll invest back into you. Mutual support is true magic.

Contact Info:

• Website: Linktr.ee/chalajune
• Instagram: Instagram.com/chala.gram
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chalajune

Image Credits
Micah O. Brown, Jacques Morel Jr, Marissa Alper, Cynthia Glassell