Local StoriesJanuary 18, 2024

Life & Work with Nickey Boyd

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nickey Boyd.

Nickey Boyd

Hi Nickey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ive always loved cooking and baking. My parents and my grandmother have been a huge influence. I grew up watching my mom cook for our family and challenged herself making new recipes. My dad has been a chef for as long as I can remember. In fact, his nickname is Chef lol. And my grandmother taught me how to bake which is where my love for baking comes from. After realizing that this love for food won’t go away, I enrolled into culinary school at Hudson County Community College Culinary Arts Institute in Jersey City, NJ. After graduating, I worked at bakeries and restaurants around New York and New Jersey. After losing my job during the pandemic, I relocated to Jacksonville, Florida to continue pursuing my career as a pastry chef. There I had the opportunity to be featured in various articles and magazines, I was privileged to showcase my talents on different levels and I met my Husband Ricky ( who is also a chef). Since then, My Husband and I have relocated to Atlanta to continue our culinary journey.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As rewarding as this career journey is, it has not always been a smooth road. One of the struggles ive had along the way is being a double minority in most kitchens. There has always been an instance where I was the only female or the only Afro-American in a kitchen. It took time to fight to get respected in either role, but I will say over the years, it has definitely gotten better.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a pastry Chef and small business owner. I am currently a pastry chef in Alpharetta, and I also run my small online baking business, Sweets By Nickoy, where I make bite-sized desserts, mini cakes, and specialty bread puddings. I would say I specialize in Bread Pudding. It’s one of my favorite things to bake, and I love adding my own spin on it. I’m most proud of how far I’ve come in my career. Starting out as an intern at a bakery and then gradually moving up from a pastry assistant to now running two pastry departments for a very reputable restaurant group is a major accomplishment for me. What sets me apart from others is that I bake with love. One of the best compliments I receive is that you can taste the love in my food. Another factor that sets me apart is that I love taking basic ingredients and elevating them. I also love incorporating ingredients that normally wouldn’t be found together. For example, one of the best bread puddings I’ve ever made was a chicken and waffle bread pudding. (Yes, there were actually bits of fried chicken and pieces of waffles in the bread pudding)

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
My overall goal is to inspire others to push past their fears and pursue their dreams. I want someone to read my story and be encouraged to go after what they want. When I went to culinary school, I was. 30 years old. I was in class with teenagers fresh out of high school. I felt out of place to the point where I wanted to quit, but I kept going. I pushed past those fears and feelings and did what I needed to do to stand out. There’s never a wrong time to chase your dream no matter how old you are. At 38, I’m still pushing myself to accomplish so much more because I know as long as I still have breath, I still have a purpose.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
IG -@Boudoir_avaughneradventures

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