We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chef Erika Nicole a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Chef thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

For almost 11 years, I worked in corporate America as a compliance analyst. It was safe, steady, and it helped me build a life for myself, my partner, and my three kids. But in 2023, I was part of a mass layoff, and everything stopped. I fell into a deep depression, unsure how I was going to maintain the life I had worked so hard to create.

Cooking had always been a part of me. Even while I was in corporate, I was catering for coworkers, making dinners, doing small vending events, baking cakes. Back then, my little side hustle was called “KrEATive catering and more.” I kept hearing this voice telling me to go, to take the leap. And honestly, I think God and the universe finally stepped in and said, “If you won’t move, we’ll move you.”

With nothing but a mustard seed of faith, I decided to do what I was always meant to do. I tapped into my ancestors, my angels, my protectors, my prayers—and I said, “I’m going to do this full-time.” I took the creativity I’d learned through art and design and started putting it on a plate and into tablescapes. I turned my gift into Meraki Collective By E Nicole, a business built on soul, creativity, and love.

In 2024, I made the leap. I promised myself I wasn’t going back to corporate America—at least not in the same way. Now, full circle, I’m back in corporate spaces, but this time I’m at the table in a different way—providing culinary experiences, food as art, and storytelling through every bite.

It’s still a journey. It’s not easy. It’s risky every day. But I wouldn’t trade it. I keep pushing, keep believing, and I stay thankful for both the blessings and the lessons that come with building something that’s truly mine.

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 Erika Nicole or like my family and friend like to call me “E”, founder of Meraki Collective! A Black woman-owned and family ran culinary brand built on the belief that food is art, memory, and community. Meraki is a Greek word meaning to do something with soul, creativity, and love – leaving an essence of yourself in everything that you do. Collective represents the coming together of cultures, ingredients, and people at one table. Together, those words define what we do: we bring flavor, culture, and connection together through food experiences that leave a lasting impression.

My journey didn’t begin in a culinary school — it started in my father’s garden on Buffalo’s East Side and at my grandmothers’ pear and apple trees, where I learned to honor what the earth gave us. Even while working 11 years in corporate America, I was always feeding people, telling stories through desserts, dinners, and events on the side. When a corporate layoff forced me to stop and reevaluate, I took it as a sign: it was time to stop playing small and turn my passion into my purpose.

Today, Meraki Collective offers luxury, multicultural catering for corporations and professionals, curated dining experiences, drop-off meals, customized menus and immersive pop-ups. We solve a very real problem for our clients — they’re tired of boring, cookie-cutter menus that don’t reflect who they are or the diverse communities they serve. I bring fresh, local and globally sourced ingredients, cultural awareness, and a creative approach — from Asian to Caribbean, Indian to Hispanic, we blend traditions, flavors, and stories into every dish.

What sets us apart is that everything we do is intentional — from the ingredients to the design of the table to the way we honor dietary needs and cultural traditions. I’m most proud of being able to weave my personal story, my family’s influence, and my background in art and design into a business that not only feeds people, but also connects them. But my dream is bigger than catering. I’m working toward building a farm-to-table collective culinary space — a creative hub where food, art, nature, and culture all meet at one table, one garden, one picnic blanket. A place where families can gather, artists can perform, chefs can collaborate, and every plate celebrates diversity and sustainability.

At Meraki Collective, we’re not just feeding people — we’re creating a movement. One rooted in soul, creativity, love, and the belief that when we gather at the table, we’re building something bigger than a meal. We’re building connection.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the magic is in the reaction. It’s watching someone’s whole energy shift when they take that first bite or walk into a room and catch the vibe of a dope tablescape I’ve designed. They see the art in the plate — the way every ingredient is intentional, like every brushstroke in a painting and suddenly they’re part of the story.

Cooking, for me, is like therapy with a soundtrack that’s on repeat. Sometimes it’s a carefully written recipe, sometimes it’s a “the ancestors told me to throw this spice in and see what happens” kind of moment and that’s when the fire really hits. It’s freedom. It’s solace. It’s me at my purest, creating joy out of memory, pain, culture, and love, then serving it up for someone else to feel.

Honestly, there’s nothing like seeing someone eat a dish I made and suddenly catch the same joy I had while creating it. That’s when I know: they’re not just eating food, they’re tasting a piece of my heart, a little nod to my dad’s garden, my family’s table, and the journey that brought me here. And if they go back for seconds? That’s basically a standing ovation in my world.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn and I’m still working on it, is that I can’t do it all on my own. For a long time, I thought “we” meant “me.” I wore all the hats, pushed through all the late nights, and convinced myself I just had to grind harder.

But the truth is, growth doesn’t happen in isolation. You need a village, people who know more than you, who see what you can’t yet see, who care enough to guide you and challenge you. Networking isn’t just business cards and emails; it’s partnerships, it’s community, it’s humility.

I had to learn that leaning on others doesn’t make me weaker, it makes the whole vision stronger. I’m still a student, always soaking up wisdom, making connections, building with intention. Because the bigger the table I’m trying to build, the more hands it’s going to take to set it. And honestly, I’ve learned that’s the beautiful part, seeing how many people are willing to pull up a chair.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merakicollective_byenicole?igsh=MWZ4d2hycnhrNWM1bg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/163zLcV4af/?mibextid=wwXIfr AND https://www.facebook.com/share/16KAop9FDZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/chef-e-nicole-18ab04309

Image Credits

REINA PHOTOGRAPHY By Sajida Nieves

Erika Bozeman