We were lucky to catch up with Keiona Jackson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Keiona, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with education – we’d love to hear your thoughts about how we can better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career

The change I would like to see in the culinary and hospitality industry; is that students should be required to complete an externship with a business in their field in order to graduate. Formidable Culinary Consultants is an organization I created out of a need for culinarians. Many of my collogues graduated from culinary school and choose to instantly go into business for themselves; the majority has no official training at all. This causes a problem, because culinary school does not provide the following: real life experiences, the ability to pivot, business management nor the skills that it task to properly sustain a successful business.

I began to mentor inspiring food-prenuers, as there was a influx of new businesses to open during covid. These individuals process the skills need to prepare a meal, but lacked: time management, presentation skills, an understanding of food cost, consistency, speed, and flexibility. Those skills that I mentioned are just a snippet of the issues they faced. FCC is a offers consulting to small business and restaurants. I am often asked what does a Taskforce Executive do. I relate it to something people can reference; by telling them what I do is similar to Restaurant Impossible. I consider myself the cuter, sassier, black version of Robert Irvine.

Keiona, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

A Chicago native, with roots in Mississippi and Louisiana, Chef Kei has been sharing her decadent creations with the world for over 20 years. She’s lovingly known as the “People’s Chef; and proudly wears crown the of being the first African American Executive Chef of Oxford, MS.

Chef Kei credits her love of food and cooking for others from her Grandmother and Father; both have over 50 years of experience cooking for their communities. Growing up Chef Kei, realized she have a gift for cooking and hosting, and decided to turn her passion into a thriving career.

Keiona Jackson, “Chef Kei” is a well-known Celebrity Private and Catering Chef based in Nevada. Chef Kei is always exploring new cuisines or fresh cooking methods. Her recipes are unique and delicious, and services are simply unmatched.

Kei Gourmet founded in 2019, although based in Tonopah, NV; also serves Las Vegas, Reno, Los Angles, and surrounding areas. As a private chef service we also travel the United States for short or long term contracts.
Offering a variety of superb services and mouth-watering menus, Kei Gourmet is one of today’s leading voices in the contemporary cooking industry. Years in the business have helped them develop a unique business catered, literally, to every client, taste or need.

Not only is Chef Kei a private chef to athletes, professionals, and celebrities; she’s also a Taskforce Executive Chef. Taskforce falls under Chef’s secondary business Formidable Culinary Consultants.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I started the year off with a bang, 2022 was my year, business was booming. I was traveling often with clients, I started a secondary business in February; expanded my territory in March of 2022; signed a contract with QVC; and transferred myself and Kei Gourmet to Tennessee.

All of that came to an immediate holt May 22, 2022 at 12:35 am. I was leaving work head home one stormy night. As I was heading home, a car came barreling down a side street and he the front passenger side of my car. My car flipped in the air 3 times and rolled 3 times into a ditch. I landed on the passenger side of the car on my head. Needless to say, the outcome was not good, when I came to the fire department was cutting my driver side door off. I barely escaped with my life, but I thank God for his grace and mercy. I was sent home with a broke hip, back, and bone spurs in my ankle. My career’s trajectory had completely changed; as a business owner I was under so much pressure, because I had people who depended on me for their livelihoods. i also, did not know how long I would be out of commission and if I would have enough savings to survive. In

October 2022 I flew to Tonopah NV to complete a 3 month contract to open a fine dining restaurant inside the Mizpah Hotel. I arrive on a can with a fractured him and swollen ankle, but I worked 16 hour days to meet the deadline of getting a restaurant turned around in three months. We opened the Jack Dempsey on January 16th. I choose to relocate Nevada to expand my brand and seek out new adventures. Today, I am still in Tonopah, healing and celebrating my own year anniversary of escaping death. The accident gave me a different prospective on life. I’ve learned to set boundaries, I learned the no is a full sentence, I learned my worth, I learned to be okay with not being perfect; I learned to live life to its fullest; I learned to let go of others opinions of me; I learned how to love me.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been great customer service and consistency. I believe that word of mouth is still best form of advertisement. Every customer receives a customized experience that fits their life style.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.keigourmet.com
• Instagram: keigourmet2020
• Facebook: Kei Gourmet
• Linkedin: Keiona Jackon