Rising Stars: Meet Alyssa Walker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Walker.

Hi Alyssa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Queens Collaborative was an idea that I came up with during my time in culinary school. Over the course of my two years attending the Art Institute, I have met some phenomenal women. I have always wanted to do business with African American women with the same goals and passions and I knew if I met the right group of ladies, we could do some great things in the city of Atlanta. I met Tere, Jessica and Patrice during my first year. They were a great support to me. We all shared great kitchen chemistry and showed a lot of respect to each other. One thing that was important to me when thinking of people I wanted to potentially do business with, was do we get along in the kitchen? Do they like to have fun in the kitchen? Do these women inspire me and push me to be better? The answer to all of these was yes. After I proposed the idea to these ladies, the rest is history.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall our journey over the past six months has been pretty smooth. The biggest challenge when four people are trying to come together is scheduling! We all are very busy individually; Some of us have kids, full-time jobs, or in school, etc. Trying to schedule in-person meetings is never easy. Another challenge that we have tackling is new business start-up costs. People forget how many little nuances go into starting a business. Website building is not cheap! Getting things like business cards, finding a prep space, and planning for a launch party can all be time-consuming and costly. The great thing about this experience is that we are learning and growing together! Having each other’s back has made this journey more enjoyable.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Chef AJ – Curator of Queens Collaborative. I am a full-time General Manager at a restaurant. In the kitchen, I specialize in flavors and operations! Coming from the restaurant industry, I am well versed in what it takes to run a successful restaurant. I have just recently graduated with a Culinary Arts degree from the Art Institute and I’m planning to take Queens Collab to the next level by curating events that mix great food, tasty cocktails and exceptional service. I also plan on doing more private events under my business name Savor | Indulge| Devour.

Chef Jess – Owner of GorJess Cupcakes and Gorjess Kitchen. Jessica is also our resident Vegan chef. Her specialty is vegan food and healthy food alternatives. She is also a graduate with her Culinary degree and is currently enrolled to complete her baking and pastry degree. Jessica’s famous cupcakes in a jar are really taking over the Atlanta market.

Chef Tere – Owner of My Secret Recipe and our Lead Caterer. Tere has been a private for over ten years and caters events, weddings, pop-up shops weekly! She has also graduated with her culinary degree.  From The Art Institute. Tere specializes in putting her own spin and creative approach to classic food items. Hence the name – “My Secret Recipe”.

Chef Patrice –Patrice is our custom cake designer. She is a baking and pastry graduate and the owner of Trice’s Treats. She specializes in executing beautiful cake designs. She also is great with creating flavorful savory homestyle dishes.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Chef Tere: Being in the kitchen is my happy place, experimenting new ways to make family favorites healthier or just adding my own twist to recipes. If I am not in the kitchen, I love just being in the company of family and friends and entertaining.

Chef Jess: Being in the kitchen and creating dishes for friends, family that make them smile and feel appreciated is everything. In addition to that serving them a dessert that caps off the night or remedies a sweet tooth that they actually love, that’s happiness to me as a chef.

Chef Patrice: Seeing the expressions on the faces of my clients when they see their cake. I love hearing about how the flavors were just as good as the design. Happy clients make me feel fulfilled and It reassures me that this is my purpose.

Chef AJ: Spending time with family and friends makes me happy. My early memories of being in the kitchen come from time with my mom. We made so many memories in the kitchen together. We would bond over cooking and eating great food. I love making tasty food and sharing those moments with friends and family.

Contact Info:

• Email: thequeenscollaborative@gmail.com
• Instagram: @thequeenscollab

Image Credits
Adrienne Edwards