We recently connected with Llordel Taylor and have shared our conversation below.

Llordel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

My journey to becoming a personal chef was an interesting one. I started out working in restaurants as a chef. Out of culinary school, I thought that was the path I was supposed to be on. In the process, I was able to hone my skills and build up my confidence. I however craved more freedom and creativity in my work. I slowly started doing private engagements here and there and as I was able to build up my reputation and gain referrals. I was able to build up a client base. I slowly but excitedly embraced it. Learned how to organize myself in terms of registering a business, having a scheduling assistant, and forming connections. I also had to learn how to manage through the ups and downs of how income flows that are not always steady.

I am also a musician and have embraced that side of my creative nature as well. I decided to fully embrace my music and musician persona. Through the team that I work with, I have been able to consistently build up my fanbase, my discography, and my songwriting abilities. I feel equally fulfilled when I am in the kitchen or music recording booth. Having that experience has given me confidence in what I am doing and I feel fulfilled as a creative.

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 back background and context?

I was born in Jamaican born. When I was 9 years old I moved to Opa Locka, Miaimi with my brother and my mother. I discovered my love for music as a teenager at Miami Central High, when a friend at the time introduced me to the beat-making platform Fruity Loops. After high school, I fell into street life and by the age of 21 had multiple arrests, struggled with homelessness and the loss of a few close friends to gun violence. After almost going to prison for undisclosed cases and the birth of my first child llamiyah, I decided to change my life.

I went to culinary school and pursued a career as a professional chef. This is where I got the nickname “Cheflodeezy”. I free-styled and had other students listen to my music on a daily basis. After graduating from culinary school, I began to climb in the hospitality industry. I started to literally blow up in the culinary world where I was featured in SoHo House world magazine as a rising star on Deco Drive, and cooked for various celebrities on visits. I never let my love for music die, I went to recording studios on my days off and wrote music before and after work on most days. Still, dream chasing and dropping music weekly.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I think NFTs are a big part of how we will consume technology in the future. They are well known for digital art now, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. NFTs can replace passwords and login information, they can replace movie and concert tickets with additional experiences gained through owning the NFT. They can be representative of numerous things from an ownership perspective. I am excited about NFTs.

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

The most rewarding part of being an artist and creative for me is the catharsis that I feel simply by exercising what comes naturally to me. I believe we should not focus on our weaknesses or the things that we are not good or great at. From an early age, we are taught to focus on the things we are not good at so that we can become better at them. The reality is that we should focus on the things that we are great at so that we can maximize our innate talents.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.cheflodeezy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheflodeezy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheflodeezy
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/cheflodeezy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cheflodeezy

Image Credits
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