Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Keyes.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started cooking at the age of 13 and attended a few Culinary Summer Camps. My first dish I cooked was a hamburger because my mom was sick with the flu. My grandmother was a home economics teacher who I looked and followed in the kitchen.
It was a passion of mines to be a chef! When I was 16, I was diagnosed with a Type 2 diabetes and hypertension, after fighting for two years I had gastric bypass surgery and it saved my life! I went to Culinary School several years later after trying other careers. I came back to my passion through the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school and was ultimately offered to be a part of the Disney Culinary Program! Once complete, I came back to start my own catering business and work with C.H.O.I.C.E.S.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it’s been rough being an entrepreneur. I work with various types of companies Franchises, Non-profit & Catering entities! Managing my schedule on a daily basis keeping everything afloat is a constant juggling act!
C.H.O.I.C.E.S. [Center Helping Obesity in Children End Successfully] – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The mission of the Center Helping Obesity in Children End Successfully, Inc. (C.H.O.I.C.E.S.) is to be a parent and child resource center for the clinically diagnosed and at-risk children of obesity. Over the last 17 years, C.H.O.I.C.E.S. has delivered its message of health to more than 85,000 children and adults through cooking classes,
workshops, summer camps, and health expos.
With the success of our Cooking with C.H.O.I.C.E.S., Camp Divas, Let’s Move! DeKalb Back-to-School Expo programs and now our new Community Teaching Kitchen, we are better positioned to tackle childhood obesity and help Atlanta families lead healthier lives.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Servant leadership within the community. If I can make a positive impact within someone’s life or teach them healthy cooking tips that will help them live a healthier lifestyle, then my mission is complete.
Contact Info:
- Address: 125 Ellis Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30303 - Website: www.choicesforkids.org
- Phone: 404-996-2362
- Email: chefashley@choicesforkids.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/choices4kids
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/choices4kids
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/choices4kids
- Other: www.instagram.com/keyesinthekitchen
Image Credit:
Sal Columbus/C.H.O.I.C.E.S.
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
