I never set out to become a chef until maybe my junior year of high school. Before that realization I had always wanted to be a vocal performance major and end up singing all over the world (aka a pop star). What can I say? The Spice Girls made me wannabe a pop sensation. And while that was not the route I chose to pursue, it's still a major part of who I am.

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I suppose you could say it's all in my blood- the singing, the cooking. You see, my parents both taught me how to sing but it was my dad who also taught me how to cook. And it wasn't so much the cooking itself but WHY it was so important.

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Rewind to early elementary school when my dad opened a BBQ restaurant. It had been a dream of his to open a place and share his recipes and help people. His dream was big but his even bigger heart got him into trouble. The man gave away more food than he sold and so he eventually had to close but would offer catering on the side. The restaurant failed but his heart had won over so many people and he was still able to use his catering business to host countless fundraisers here in the Morganton and surrounding areas. 

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Meanwhile I was cooking up my own concoctions in my very professional Easy Bake Oven, always searching for more (even as a child I knew that cakes should never be that small). I didn't realize how this would come into play many years later when I enrolled in culinary school and started making cakes on the side. And of course my dad was especially proud that I was following in his footsteps.

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Upon graduating from Johnson & Wales University in 2015 with a BS in Business Management and AA in Culinary Arts, I had an offer to start that fall as an assistant teaching culinary classes for refugees at a non-profit in Charlotte (Project 658). What a special opportunity it was! I was making a difference in peoples' lives and sharing my love for food-just like my dad taught me.

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Six months later, my dad passed away and I am devastated. Shortly after his passing I was offered a position to oversee the culinary school and catering operations. I knew he would be proud of me and is even prouder now that I have chosen to move back to the Morganton area and pursue my own catering business. He might not have had the chance to see my growing pursuits and successes after college, but I know he is aware and as proud as ever.

 

I'm about food that makes a difference. Being hungry isn't always just about food and that is where I take a step further and foster relationship, support, and ultimately love behind everything I do. 

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Thank you for supporting me!

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Love, 

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Lara Hicks

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