Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiara Perkins.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started cooking when I was about eight. I was a latch key kid, so no one was ever home when I got there from school and I had to figure something out. I watched the food network a lot and would ask my mom if I could make the recipes from there. I even made a whole cookbook out of construction paper with those recipes. When my mom was home, I did help her in the kitchen. “Kiara, you paying attention? You’re gonna have to do this by yourself one day.” Fast forward, now I’m basically the best chef that any of my friends knows. I’m looking forward to getting better, though.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road but it hasn’t been rough. It took a while for me to get started due to situations and just life but I’m here now and it’s going well! I do everything by myself so I would say that’s my biggest struggle but I can handle it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Currently, I am a special education teacher at an elementary school. People ask me all the time am I going to quit and cook full time. Right now, I just can’t leave my babies but one day, I’ll have to. I’m also working on a program called CHEFS for my school to help feed our lower-income families and I’m really excited to get that started this year. On the side, I cater birthdays, weddings, funerals; you name it. I also do private dinners for two. Occasionally I’ll sell plates but that’s not where the money has been residing recently so that’s on the back burner. I’ve done more brunches than anything and the people go CRAZY for the shrimp and grits!! Which is funny because I did not eat grits growing up and I still really don’t. I couldn’t tell you what sets me apart from others because I have tunnel vision right now so I don’t see what everybody else is doing. What I can say is I guarantee you my food is better than whoever else you were going to pick.
What matters most to you?
My family. I learned a lot from my mom and my grandparents, so to have started something like this that the could be proud of is what matters to me.
Contact Info:
- Email: Kaydeeskitchenandco@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/kaydees_kitchenco
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/kaydeeskitchen?refsrc=deprecated&_rdr#!/KayDeesKitchenCo/?tsid=0.2770420345997129&source=result
