We recently connected with Ellis Walton and have shared our conversation below.

Ellis, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

We all sometimes and many most times question why we are here and what our purpose in life is. I by far am not perfect, but one thing I have learned to do over time is self evaluate and apply the lessons i have learned from my past mistakes. Being able to understand that this journey that we live on is customized for each and every living soul. I always have been passionate about food and being in the kitchen creating makes me happiest, but there were definitely times where I questioned if i should just play it safe and be regular or go big or go home. I decided to go for it and give it my all daily. I recently released my first two sauces via my website www.TheChefScoota.com and it is truly a dream come true. If I could inspire just one kid out there in the world or really anyone who is unsure of chasing a dream, I want to be the example. It’s not about being perfect, it is about loving what you do and doing it well and being efficient in it. That is the magic behind my business gigs, products and everything I embark on. We no longer have to be ashamed of being in a stage of growth which is another reason why I have decided to begin my own Youtube cooking talk show, Where we discuss life, business, food and the process behind techniques to make every dish even better each time executed.

Ellis, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Ellis but I go by Chef Scoota and I am a Memphis native, but Dallas is my new home. I got started in the culinary industry just from a love of cooking which started around the age of nine. I would watch Emeril Live, Iron Chef and Barefoot Contessa and just be in awe of the alchemy and magic that was taking place on tv. I also loveeeeddddd my grandmother’s cooking; it seemed as if everything she touched was absolutely perfect and could not be topped by a soul. I attended culinary school once I decided that the post office no longer fit the future I seen for my life. The journey to entrepreneurship was much more than figuring out how to run a business which i honestly am still learning more about each day, but it has taught me self discovery. It has made me dig deep into myself and learn who I am and what do i represent and where do I want to go. These questions run so deep and can be vague but for those of us just trying to bring a vision to life, this to me is a vital ingredient to success. I have lost a lot but the information I have gained since becoming a chef is well worth it. I started catering and cooking professionally around 2017 and it is now 2022 and I am just now releasing an official product that I can say I am proud of. I had to get organized, make a clear plan and have a great team behind me. My team came together so organically and now I understand why things took longer than I expected but it is all happening on time. I was able to finally produce my own show this past weekend, with the help of my awesome team. We shot 9 episodes in two days which is pretty darn to me. I am at the point where I am embracing my divergent nature and walking into my best future. When my clients and future clients see me I want them to see a man who has worked and took the time to learn his craft and will continue to learn and keep growing. I want them to see that I am a person who does not think with limits, growth mindset and consistent work ethics. I will break down those small things that I feel everyday people may need help with and show you how to finesse some good food in the kitchen. The goal is to make sexy food all day, everyday, DONT PLAY! & that is my service to the world.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the concept of fear, which is birth from doubt. I used to doubt myself ever being able to do half the things I am able to do now because of the fear of it not being a success. I had to change my entire perception of myself and how I view the world. Timing is EVERYTHING when it comes to business and generally in life. Those mistakes and those no’s that you get really become the fuel and the bridge to growth. So just having fear is truly pointless because all it does is slow you down from getting to your destination.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I built my audience on social media by simply being myself. About a year or two ago I used to see certain people cook online and at first I would try to be like them but it would never work out for me in the way that I wanted it to. So I decided to just do me. Sometimes I like to eat healthy and sometimes I don’t but for the most part I keep a balanced diet and I knew that one day the tribe and people that are meant to rock with me will do so. I started doing vegan dishes, vegetarian, playing with keto and all different kinds of cuisines. After a while I started to basically blend and play with flavors to the point where now I feel that I have somewhat mastered the art of “comfort healthy-ish” food. I like to eat food but I want to make sure I keep it sexy

Contact Info:

• Website: www.TheChefScoota.com
• Instagram: www,instagram.com/chefscoota
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/chefscootaent
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellis-m-walton-6b77121ba
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ynUIm7-4Dh2VA15H2g8tg