We recently connected with KAYE ! and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, KAYE thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The very first thought I had of cooking was during my last year at college. I was currently enrolled for Audio/Video Engineering + Production but I learned way more than that. During those years I would constantly see the culinary students and it constantly have me within a daze…”What if I went this route instead?”

Eventually COVID-19 had hit the states and I knew an inevitable and drastic change was about to go underway; Not just for me but everyone.

Cooking is one of the few things I always enjoyed doing. I wasn’t the most confident in my craft but I had outside support not only from my peers but new faces as well.

After being told that I had a gift for cooking over the coming months I made up my mind. I wanted to do more than cook. My goal was to be one of the most skillful and knowledgeable Chefs in my state.

I never went to school for Culinary Arts nor did I have a mentor. Everything over the years I’ve taught myself and still to this day, continue to do so.

Reading is my best teacher. I see something that catches my attention and I tell myself immediately to replicate what I saw.

Albeit I’m not a perfectionist but I do still strive for absolute “perfection” over my craft. I’ve learned that noticing and overcoming your own imperfections is what truly leads to realm of perfection in itself. I started my journey on May 29, 2019 and I have yet to look back ever since.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

My father was a Private Chef as well and his father was trained at Le Cordon-Bleu. The very essence of food and the chemistry one would need is already in my blood. I love the craft itself, or you could say I’m infatuated with it.

When I first started out things were very slow but this wouldn’t hinder my growth nor would I allow it. Sometimes I’d only cook for one person a week on ONE day. To most individuals or “entrepreneurs” this would bother them; but not me.

I’m a Chef before anything. I do not consider myself an entrepreneur regardless if I have the traits of one. I started this journey and my business for myself before anything. The days I wouldn’t have clients to cook for were used on research. The journey never ends because there’s always something new to learn everyday.

Most Chefs hate having to do prep work or anything not consider “important” or flashy.

I cut potatoes practically everyday to work on my cuts and precision to the point of a surgeon, if not better. Money may be a necessity for businesses and endeavors to successfully fall through, however I’ve never had the personal interest that most people do with it.

I knew with my building skillset and repertoire that financial abundance would without a doubt find its way towards me; And that’s exactly what happened.

Before I knew it I went from cooking for only one person a week to feeding over 10 everyday. At some point I would start selling out of the food I had on menus set-up for plate sales…

I’ve stopped selling plates since then and mainly it’s because I don’t want to be known as a “Plate” Chef or anything similar to a food truck.

I want to be known for my craft. There are somethings I wouldn’t offer to the general public or even on pop-ups.

You’d have to book me for something intimate or private.

I’m very versatile when in the kitchen and because of this it’s allowed me to step into new zones and stations that would be in a general kitchen brigade.

If I had to pick one of the very best things I’m skilled at, it would be my saucier work. I make true sauces, deriving from the mother sauces or having them serve as a base for the perfect layup.

My technique is French influenced SUBSTANTIALLY. Any broths or stocks I make are done so to the point of a consommé almost. This isn’t the same consommé you’d have with Birria. It’s practically a stock or sauce that’s clear but rich at the same time.

I also taught myself how to butcher meats and fish; Properly. I hold myself to a very high standard (almost prestigious in a sense). If I wouldn’t eat it myself or serve it to a supreme deity you’d find in Olympus I’ll continue to work on that skillset or dish. Time is not a factor nor a bothersome for me.

I’m not one for virtual bragging so I tend to let my cooking and craft speak for itself.

I can say without a doubt that I have some of the BEST food and flavor pallet within Georgia.

I’m capable of cooking more than “Southern Cuisine” which is typically all you would find in Atlanta as a whole let alone the south. I can feed you more than Salmon and mac & cheese.

More than boring air-fried chicken wings, chicken alfredo or even fried lobster tails.

None of that requires any real technical finesse or knowledge about your ingredients. Most Chefs use a “recipe” they caught a glance from or it was passed down.

My current clientele already has some understanding of how my cooking is. The best way I would describe my craft and how I approach it is improvised.

No two clients will ever eat the same thing, even if they request something with similar flavor profiles. I create dishes unique for each person I’m blessed with cooking for.

This always comes to play with my sauce work. No two sauces will evee taste the same under any circumstances; Unless I arbitrarily deem it worthy for that occasion.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Before I started to get lost and fully enveloped in my own craft I started posting just general pictures of food that would be featured on my menus for the day.

In my eyes they weren’t anything special and that feeling is almost amplified now. You’ll see what I mean when I show my current photographs.

Once I stopped selling plates and switched to only pop-ups/private bookings I started taking things even more seriously. This eventually lead to people calling me “boujie” or “Hollywood”. These weren’t even people I knew on a personal level let alone spoke too daily but my impression was clearly left imprinted on them. My work began to TRULY speak for itself. When you’re doing something that almost everyone claims to be a “professional” at and your work still stands out on top of all the phonies; You tend to hurt some feelings along the way. Be it on purpose or not.

I know most people just want to say they look up to me or their curious as to how my cooking and attention to detail evolved in such a short time span.

The quickest and most efficient way is to stay consistent. Even if its just something you’re doing for practice or to take pictures for content. Put your very being and essence into each stroke of your work. Be it something complex or not. When you fully dedicate yourself to your craft and what you love to do, results WILL show.

Do not focus on the potential income or the “what-ifs” of being a billionaire because of your work. Let it come naturally. You can’t attain nor reach those heights and not have the work ethic to back it up.

The best answer I can give to anyone upcoming or fresh out the gate is to stay consistent. Doesn’t matter how many likes or comments you get on a post. Keep going.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I’m notoriously known on Instagram for speaking my mind without hesitation. Especially when it comes to food. I hate the facade of fake Chefs that are sweeping TikTok and Instagram. They don’t actually cook anything….

Literally there are some who take pre-made Pilsbury Cinnamon Rolls, put them in a waffle iron and call them Cinnamon Roll Waffles. How pretentious could you be?

This only fueled me more to stand out from the crowd and cook things you won’t even find in Georgia or sometimes the states as a whole.

I put my own twist & interpretation on dishes that have been touched time and time again by the industry..

Consistency, honesty and the proper respect for the ingredients is what got me to where I am today. This is only the beginning and I’m filled with utter vigor to imagine the true peaks that I’ll surpass someday.

I’ve been getting my YouTube set up and a podcast for the near future!

Expect very great things from both these outlets.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/kayesculinary
• Email: [email protected]
• Other: I’ve been getting my Youtube set up and podcast for the near future! Expect very great things from both these outlets!

Image Credits
All images were taken by me. Some photographs may be out of order but the dishes are as follows. Braised Lamb Shank w/ Purple Mashed Pommes and Tomato Coulis “Shrimp & Grits” New Orleans BBQ Prawns, Creole Sauce W/ Applewood Scallions atop a Fried Grit Cheese Blueberry & Herb Crusted Lamb, Joel Robuchon Pommes, Sauce Avion & Lamb Jus Poulet Chasseur “Hunter’s Chicken” Poached Chilean Seabass, Pommes Rosti Cake & Bruleed Onion, Diablo Veloute & Fumet Butter