Today we’d like to introduce you to Chef Ahki.
Chef Akhi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started my vegan journey at 18 years old in my hometown of Oklahoma City. In 1999, I moved to Dallas, Texas and was embraced by a community of phenomenal people who were also on their plant-based journey. It was as much an exploration of my spirituality and wellness and it had a major impact of my life. In 2006 I became a colon therapist. I wanted to focus on cleansing and healing my own body while working with others. I started hosting culinary classes to help my clients clean up their diets and they became popular with several local celebrities. I was always a writer and I started blogging about my diet and my transition from a standard vegan diet to an “Alkaline Diet”. I was very inspired by the work of people like Dr.Sebi, Gabrielle Cousens, Viktoras Kulvinskas, Queen Afua & Dr. Ali Muhammad. I wanted to take these teachings and present them in a new way that was modern, sophisticated, smart, witty and cool for the next generation. My blog caught the attention of MediaTakeout.com in 2009 and shortly after I started Gochefahki.com. With over 80k Facebook followers and my residency in France as a vegan chef to Lenny Kravitz, I was creating content daily. I decided to monetize my brand through herbal elixirs, spices, teas, and meal plans as well as the Chef Ahki Detox Retreat and the Super Natural Woman Day Retreat. In 2015, I released 2 books Electric & Fibroid Recipe Guide from Usha Village in Honduras. My books landed me a regular spot on The Wendy Williams Show, Essence Magazine, Plant-based magazine, a Toyota & Ford campaign and several popular blogs and magazines. My third release “Super Foods for the Modern Baby” slated to drop September 2019.
Has it been a smooth road?
My path has NOT always been smooth. This has truly been a crash course in business development. I had to learn how to market an online business to drive commerce. I had to learn how to choose the right people to build and increase productivity and visibility. I’ve had to
sacrifice a certain kind of anonymity as the face and voice of my brand. Then there’s the western medical standard for addressing illness. I teach preventative care and often I am met with fear or lack of understanding about the power of nature to heal and restore our bodies. The challenges are real but I’m in it for the long haul.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Atlanta has the most beautiful scenery – trees, parks and I loooove the organic farming community. I love festivals. The music, art scene and outdoor activities are the best!
What I find most annoying is the parking attendants, parking meters, and just parking, in general.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Delicious Indigenous – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Although I am known as a “Vegan Chef”, today most of my work is in education through books, culinary classes, workshops, online products, and retreats. My company is different in that we focus on a niche of the vegan market – Alkaline food. It is the foundation of my teachings. I am most proud of my work with reproductive disorders as there is a detrimental miseducation about proper reproductive care in many aspects.
Thank you to VoyageATL for the interview and I wish you and all your readers long and healthy lives!
Contact Info:
- Website: Gochefahki.com
- Phone: 1800-987-1466
- Email: chefahki@gochefahki.com
- Instagram: CHEFAHKI
- Facebook: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CHEFAHKI
Image Credit:
yeyophotography/Shanicia Boswell
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