Today we’d like to introduce you to John Oz Layne of Great Urban Eats. He and his team share their story with us below:
A true Pennsylvania Native (Born in Pittsburgh and raised also in Philadelphia), Oz moved to Atlanta, GA in 1999 and began performing music. During this time, he developed many contacts and relationships within the Entertainment Industry that led him to Artist and Business Development and Management. Oz became the unknown name behind many of the Entertainers on stage and screen that we see today.
Having experienced both success and letdowns, in 2018, he decided to once again focus on himself. A health scare in early 2018 led Oz to discover the healing properties of Food. That health scare and the untimely departure of one of the most prominent figures in Food Journalism – Anthony Bourdain – took Oz on a journey similar to the story from which his moniker – Oz – was derived. Oz followed the “Yellow Brick Road” of food and discovered he could heal himself with it and he began the mission to do so. This led to the moment that he knew he had to help others do the same. From this, Great Urban Eats™ was born. “I feel like everything I’ve ever done has led up to this moment”.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road as mentioned has had its share of ups and certainly downs. In 1994, I was in a near-fatal car accident which left me unable to walk. It would be 15 surgeries, months of therapy, the help and support of my Family, and almost a year before I could walk again. IN 2006, I became separated and eventually divorced from my then wife. In 2010, the Economy collapsed and I, along with many in this country, lost everything. Each of these though only served to add fuel to the fire I had within to reach my destiny.
As you know, we’re big fans of Great Urban Eats. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Great Urban Eats started because I found a need to change how people see food. We, in the Afro-Indigenous community, tend to use all of the wrong things to prepare our foods. You’ve seen it yourself, people using table salt AND seasoned salt together. It’s a bad habit.
I also learned the power of Veganism. I will go Vegan only for months sometime or even eat Fruit ONLY for a month at times. This has amazing benefits such as lowering blood pressure and sugars.
I began seeking the roots and herbs instead of the manufactured and processed seasonings and quickly found the flavor and effects on my body were amazing!
I needed to get this kind of information in front of as many people as possible. Mind you, I could cook at that time but I was no Chef by any stretch of the imagination. So, I called on my friends and my Fiancé’ to help me develop and shoot a show showcasing those Chefs, Restaurants, Cooks, and Farms that promote this way of thinking. You would be surprised at how many Afro-Indigenous restaurants provide healthy food that isn’t just vegetarian or vegan.
I also, along with the show, began preparing foods myself and getting it into the hands of the people. I now have quite a few regular customers who are stabilizing their numbers (Heart, Sugar, etc.) with the food I provide. I am very open when it comes to sharing this information so that they can do it for themselves at home. This is why the show is so important.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk? ME? LOL! My entire life has been risk taking. I am a firm believer that in order to succeed at anything, you must be willing to risk everything! The key is Risk Management. You have to anticipate the possible outcomes and have a plan to deal with each. Risk is inherent in all things, the only question for many is: How will I deal with it? I assess. I plan. I review. I execute. I reassess. Wash, Rinse, Repeat. Risk is Good!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.greaturbaneats.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/greaturbaneats
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/greaturbaneats
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/ozthefoodgod
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GreatUrbanEatsTMTelevisionShow/featured
Image Credits
John Oz Layne Mshon Pulliam
