Today we’d like to introduce you to Nyesha Turner.
Hi Nyesha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am Nyesha Turner, owner of Ny’s Lunchbox, a meal prep company, an instructor at The Cooking School on Irwin Street, as well as a chef for Cookonnect. Along with that, I am a full-time nursing student obtaining my Master of Science in Nursing from Brenau University. I owned Ny’s Lunchbox for almost two years in June. I started the business after my friends saw me filling out a job application to work at Wendy’s. I was a 7th-grade teacher at the time and was just looking for a summer job for extra funds. I started with two people as customers cooking out of my best friend’s house that turned into cooking for about 15 people at an incubator kitchen, which shifted into catering. Blossoming from that came to my introduction to teaching at The Cooking School on Irwin Street. I specialize in teaching a BBQ Shrimp and Grits Class, Pasta making, Paella and more at the cooking school. My work with my business as well as the cooking school has led me to Cookonnect which is an at home cooking service where I come in and I cook for families.
The people I get to meet and the tastebuds I get to change is by far favorite part of cooking. There is no other time I give a smile so big than when I am plating a dish.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’d be lying if I said it has been a smooth road. Just like any other business there is demand sometimes and other times there is not. Some weeks I’ll cook for 12 people and make over 100 meals and other times it’s four people and I am making about 30 meals. It can be scary and I have thought many times about closing down because of it but the one thing that drives me is knowing that I am walking within my path. Cooking can be done by anyone and people can follow a recipe but to have a passion for cooking and wanting to make people happy with food is the driving force for me.
We’ve been impressed with Ny’s Lunchbox, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ny’s Lunchbox is a meal prep company. I have three tasty meals that I set out. They are usually a pasta meal and then two meals with a protein and vegetables. I come up with them based on my customer request or something I have created for myself during the week. I run the business along with the help of some friends that come in and help with packing meals and or cutting a vegetable. I am proud that I have been able to run this business for almost two years and that I have so much support. The feedback from my customers is always my favorite part. I always joke with them that they are trying to romance me with their compliments.
I’d love for others looking for meal prep or catering services to know that I am always happy to help where I can. I can go keto-based if needed or change the menu items to better fit your dietary restrictions. I would also want them to know that catering has easily turned into my favorite thing to do because of the large amounts of taste buds I get to change. Check out my website over at nyslunchbox.com.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are SO many people that I would need to write handmade notes too. Friends, families, colleagues and social media friends. Every like, share, repost or speaking my name in rooms that I am not in is more than I could ever thank them for. To all my friends that have overordered, help cut a vegetable, put a label on a container or just stay and talk to me while I am in the kitchen all night. Also special thank you to those customers that no matter what they are always ordering, you guys are truly the driving force for me. I have customers that no matter what, I am always their first call for food services. I started this business because of Taylor and Chad yelling at me for filling out an application to Wendy’s, so really without them I would have never decided to do this. Or envision myself as a business owner at all. Also big thank you to Sam and Mike for allowing me to destroy their kitchen every week making so many meals. The owner of The Cooking School, Jake, for seeing me as chef when I just did not see it at all. Also, Erica from Cookonnect has really connected me to so many families and been supportive of my nursing school journey! I know I didn’t say every individual name but those people that know me and know where this business started and where it’s going know that I am grateful for your support.
Pricing:
- 6 meals $90.00
- The Cooking School Prices – $95.00
Contact Info:
- Email: nyslunchbox@gmail.com
- Website: nyslunchbox.com
- Instagram: nyslunchbox
- Other: nyesha.alexis (personal instagram)
