Today we’d like to introduce you to Melody Conner.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Melody. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
“To entertain successfully one must create with the imagination of a playwright, plan with the skill of a director, and perform with the instincts of an actor. And, as any showman will tell you, there is no greater reward than pleasing your audience.” -James Beard
How did a kid from inner city Detroit, end up buying a 120-year old farmhouse in Senoia “Home of the Walking Dead”, Georgia? I can answer, with crazy tenacity and moxie. I have always dreamed of owning a beautiful home in the country; I’ve lived in the city most of my life to be able to appreciate the organic nostalgia and simplicity of country living. There is something that lends to the generosity of southern hospitality and charm. Growing up the oldest of three, I was that kid who played “pretend tea party”, fixing elaborate dinners for imaginary friends. I was a kid that loved to watch (dating myself) Julia Child and Justin Wilson on PBS television. I would cut out recipes from Red Book magazine and make scrapbooks. Growing up in a single parent home, food was a precious commodity in our household, my mother would nurture my love for cooking and allowed me to prepare something from whatever was in the cupboards with one of the cookbooks that I received as Christmas gifts. Thus, developing into the “Mocha Stewart” of entertaining with generous imagination, ease, and enormous flair. Entertaining is my passion, and now my evolving business. I am dedicated to providing the best experience for my guests, in achieving the finest in pleasures of dining effortlessly, graciously, and with flair.
Hosting themed private dining events, where food is a Goodwill Ambassador bringing together people for a delicious meal, is my nirvana. I hope to inspire everyone that sits at my table, to taste and explore the world with food.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
LOL! The path journey that I have endured thus far, won’t even fit in this article, but I believe that every challenge is and has been divinely necessary. Nobody is exempt from having any challenge in life. We sometimes ask, “why is this happening to me?” When we should be asking, “what is the lesson, that I am supposed to be learning’? The resistance that I’ve received is because of the reflection of insecurities I have yet embraced. The older that I get the more that I realize two things…1.) Everything that I have ever worried about has yet to come to pass and 2.) I have absolutely nothing to prove to anyone other than myself.
Please tell us about your business.
I am a Military Veteran turned Private Chef. I believe food is a cultural ambassador, and I am always saying that “there isn’t a better way to truly identify with another culture than to have a seat at someone’s table and break bread.” I am a Les Dames Escoffier Scholarship recipient and honors graduate from THEE Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, I am best known for my blended cooking style and creating the ultimate Foodgasm Experience; stimulating all five senses, experienced in tasting my lovingly prepared southern recipes. My love for entertaining and creating memorable dining events along with my flair for hospitality, birthed the innovative concept of ‘Sundays in Senoia PharmHaus Brunch’ Series.
The dining events are hosted in my home, Serenita (Serenity) Homestead, an 1898 historic farmhouse, built originally on 103 of 296 land lottery acres, by a former slave, by the name of William D. Walker. Located just four miles from the revitalized Historic Downtown Senoia “Home of the Walking Dead”…
My “frendors”/(vendors) and I have partnered to host a unique and exclusive dining experience The guests are shuttled from 2 pickup points in Atlanta by M3Elite Luxury Transportation, where TrueLife Media ATL will curate the the drive to the country, while you enjoy a cocktail by Master Bourbon Stewardess; Tosha Mobley of Bourbon Bliss ATL. Upon arriving to Serenity Homestead, you will be greeted with 5-star southern hospitality and partake of a 4-course chef inspired menu, that will be sure to be the ultimate Foodgasm Experience.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with well-known celebrities and notable chefs over the span of my career. However, I would have to say my proudest moment was in receiving the keys to my home, that I purchased with major sweat equity, and hosting my very first dining event. As I walk through this house and touch the original lead glass windows, or the ship lap walls…I shake my head; embodying the richness of history, resiliency and tenacity; I am reminded that 120 years ago, a former slave had the innovative foresight to purchase 103 acres and build a two story home with his bare hands… A true American pioneer. I can only hope that I have made this man and my ancestors proud, in continuing his legacy, in being a champion of hope and dreams manifested.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 6784910131
- Instagram: @serenitahomestead @foodgasmxp @m3elite @
truelifemediaatl @ thebourbonblissatl @ asilsoccasions @food_artist @iammyleslindsey @rileysonthesquare - Facebook: The Foodgasm Experience and Serenita Homestead and Sundays in Senoia
Image Credit:
@paulbiagui @truelifemediaatl @3degreeskreative @iammyleslindsey
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