We were lucky to catch up with Inayah Blocker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Inayah, appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I came up with the name “Beyond Soul” because it represents the range and depth of my culinary experiences. While soul food is at the heart of what I do, my background extends far beyond that. I was classically trained, and I also spent several years studying Islamic studies in Senegal, West Africa, where I developed an appreciation for its rich culinary traditions. This combination of formal training and cultural influences allows me to create a diverse array of dishes, truly going beyond just soul food.

Inayah, 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?

To be honest, I got into the industry because I didn’t want to do more schooling. I never saw cooking as a career; it was just something I had a slight interest in, having started so early. After having my first child, I came across Hudson County Community College’s culinary program and thought it would be easier than traditional schoolwork—boy, was I wrong! But I ended up loving culinary school and even made one of my closest friends there.

At one point, I had a huge school bill, so I decided to do a small food sale. My skills were not the best back then, but people came out to support. That inspired me to keep selling dinners on the side while working at Whole Foods Market. For years, I sold plates to my co-workers working as a meat cutter at Whole Foods. I had originally been working in the prepared foods department but I switched because I felt I didn’t get much meat training in culinary school, gradually improving my cooking. By the time I had my third child, my daughter fell ill with kidney disease, and I decided to stay home.

Ten years later, after still selling plates here and there, I received a message on Instagram about joining a Food Network show called Chef Bootcamp. I thought it was a scam at first, but it wasn’t! I auditioned and got cast, though I was the only one without a restaurant. After the show aired, I had my fourth child and shortly after was blessed with an opportunity to rent a restaurant space. With little income, I started a GoFundMe, reaching out to my community. To my surprise, people, both known and unknown, contributed, and that’s how I got to where I am today.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My resilience comes from a few key places. Firstly, I’m a Capricorn, born on January 1st, so being driven and focused on my business comes naturally to me. But beyond that, I think resilience is best shown through life’s challenges—like having four kids and a husband while still managing to follow my goals and dreams. Juggling family responsibilities and pursuing a career isn’t easy, but it’s a story that many women share. We keep pushing forward, finding strength in the midst of everything, and that’s what resilience truly looks like to me.

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

I built my audience on Instagram by leveraging the business courses I took in culinary school, where I learned the importance of marketing and reaching your target audience. From the start, I knew that having a small team of only four people meant we couldn’t do all the legwork that new businesses usually require to attract customers. So, I decided early on to invest in online marketing, allowing us to reach more people efficiently. This decision has been one of the best business moves I’ve made and continues to help my brand grow.
My advice is to trust your instincts and do whatever you feel is best for your business, regardless of the cost. Find a way to execute your plan. If it works, great—you’ve hit your mark! If it doesn’t, don’t be discouraged; find another avenue and make it happen. Success often comes from persistence and adaptability.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Beyond-soul.com
• Instagram: Eatatbeyondsoul
• Facebook: Beyond soul