A: I didn’t always want to be a chef. I kinda ran from my true calling.

I knew I wanted to be a chef like four years ago when one of my good friends said, “You should be a personal chef.”  She planted that seed and I ran with it.

Q: Are you a trained chef or self-taught?

A: I am self-taught. God gifted…

Q:  How easy is cooking for you?

A:  Cooking came easy for me. I’ve been around it my whole life. I started cooking full course meals at the age of twelve.

Q: Where do you find your inspiration for cooking?

A: My cooking inspiration has always come from my mom, grandma, and my late great-grandma.

Q:  What’s a crowd favorite you offer?

A:  My seafood gumbo is loved by everyone. Even people who were raised in Nola. Picture a dark rich roux with Creole spices, chicken, gulf shrimp, Cajun sausage, topped off with okra and tomatoes.

Q: What is your greatest achievement as a chef?

A: My greatest achievement as a chef is that I have been able to help so many people through my food. It warms my heart when I see those smiles. I’m still building. So more achievements are on the way.

Q: What advice would you give someone who would like to open their own catering business?

A:  The advice I would give someone that’s opening their own catering business is to really count up the cost and never shortchange your worth.

Q:  What’s the funniest thing that has happened to you while on the job?

A: The funniest thing that has happened to me is when someone couldn’t believe I cooked the food. I’m so small in stature and they thought I was younger than what I really was. It was hard to convince the guy!

Q: Do you have any chef’s you admire?

A: Chefs that I admire are Marcus Samuelsson, Bryant Terry, The Pioneer Woman, and also Kelis the singer. She is a professionally trained chef.

Q: What are some of your favorite foods to cook?

A: Mexican food is my favorite to cook; also my sweet potato pecan waffles and fried chicken.

Q: What do you love most about your job?

A:  What I love most about my job is that I get to create and share my gift with the world and meet so many different people.

Q: What makes Chef Po Urban Kitchen different from other catering businesses?

A: Chef Po Urban Kitchen is different from any other business. I care about the quality of food; probably more so than others. I won’t serve anything I won’t eat. My presentation is unforgettable.

Q: How did you come up with your business name?

A:  Chef Po came from a friend, actually. He started calling me Chef Po randomly and it just stuck. Po comes from the word Poetic because writing is one of my hobbies.

Q: How important is meal prep when it comes to health and weight loss to you as a chef?

A: Meal prep is very important in weight loss. The gym isn’t going to help you if you are eating the wrong foods. I always tell my clients, “Your body is made in the kitchen, not in the gym.”

Q: What’s next for you?

A: The next thing that’s on Chef Po’s plate is that I’m in the process of expanding to a prime location so everyone can experience my food. Also, I will be hosting cooking classes very soon.

I won’t stop until Chef Po is known around the world.