We were lucky to catch up with Nickey Boyd recently and have shared our conversation below.
Nickey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Starting my culinary journey at 30 was a huge risk for me. Before attending culinary school I struggled with what I wanted to do as a career. Initially I wanted to be a counselor and a chaplain so I went to school for social work and Received a degree in Human Services. I always had a heart to help people especially those less fortunate and I knew being a social worker would be the best way to do that. After graduating with my degree in Human Services I interned and interviewed at a few places but just didn’t feel like that field was for me. I started working job after job and still didn’t feel like I was doing what my heart desired so I finally enrolled into culinary school and loved it. Culinary School was a big risk for me because I didn’t know what to expect and everyone around me kept telling me cooking and baking is a hobby not a career. I still took the risk and enrolled. I found my niche, after before graduation I landed an internship at a bakery in New York and the rest is history. I worked my way around New York but the opportunities for someone that’s 30 and starting over were few. I worked alongside people that were younger than me and had more experience , but I kept pushing myself. After an unexpected change in my personal life I lost everything and I had a choice and decision to make. Did I want to continue on this path or figure something else out. It was hard but I pressed through.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My culinary background comes from watching my mom cook as a child. my mom had numerous cookbooks, and tried recipes id never even heard of. My inspiration also comes from my dad who is also a chef. What ignited my flame for baking was my grandmother baking bread pudding for me. She made it look so easy and effortless. Bread Pudding has become one of my favorite desserts to eat and make. My Journey as a pastry chef started in 2015 when I enrolled in culinary school and I’ve been baking and growing ever since. I’m currently a Pastry Chef in Atlanta OTP. I am competed in Season 10 of Spring Baking Championship on Food Network. What sets me apart from others is that I bake with love and I’m not afraid to push the margin. I love taking everyday classics and putting my own twist on it. I take pride in my Jamaican background and rely on that inspiration in my baking. On this journey I’m most proud of how far I’ve come and my drive to achieve what I set my mind to.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a Pastry Chef especially being a black woman chef is inspiring others that look like me. For so long it was hard to feel respected as a black woman in the Kitchen or even just being a minority. My goal in all this is to encourage others to keep going and not give up. My resilience has gotten me to where I am now.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I don’t have a particular goal or mission for my journey but after losing my younger sister to kidney failure in 2015, I made a promise to her and myself that I would go after my dreams and not let anything or anyone stop me. Im doing things that I never would’ve done because I would’ve let fear stop me. Cristina was the most bubbly ambitious person I’ve ever known and if I did have a goal it would be to make her proud.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: chef_nickey_
- Twitter: chef_nickey