Meet John Oz Layne | Creator and Business Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Oz Layne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John Oz, what makes you happy? Why?
Seeing other people happy, makes me happy. There is something to be said in having joy in seeing others be happy and enjoying their lives.

Having this as a thing means that you have overcome destructive habits and thoughts like jealousy and envy. I want to see others be successful. I even want to have some part in helping them achieve that success. I chose to be Oz because I get the opportunity to be behind the scenes in assisting others achieve whatever it is that they are looking to achieve. This makes me extremely happy!

What should our readers know about your business?
I am the Creator & CEO of Great Urban Eats, a multifarious approach to showcasing Urban Food, Chefs, and Farmers. No one else shines a light on Urban Food the way we do and that is because I dive deep into showing the world the foundation of Culinary Arts which is Urban Kitchens. We also bring our audience into how Health is directly related to Urban Food. Great Urban Eats was born out of my experiences in Business and as a working Professional in various arenas from Public Education, Movie Set Engineering, to Cleaning Companies and Executive Business Services. In all of those capacities, I learned a little from each that would play a part in developing the format for what is Great Urban Eats. It wasn’t always easy but I’ve always had a goal of becoming independently wealthy and keeping myself focused on that allowed me to easily overcome the pitfalls that are inherently engrained in corporate America. The proverbial “carrot in front of the horse” is exactly that. Climbing the corporate ladder is reserved for those chosen, not always those most qualified. I realized this early on and made a decision to become an Employer who provided opportunities for others to grow and even become Employers themselves. This is the thinking that kept me from giving up or settling for “less than.”
What I want people to know about Great Urban Eats is that we are dedicated to shining a light on the many, many talented people out there in the Food Industry and that we are a place where one can come and hone their skills on their path to their own success!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
To eat, I would start with Sweet Potato Café’ in Stone Mountain. An awesome Farm to Table Restaurant with a remarkable Chef. Another eatery would be M&J Caribbean Café in Norcross. The Owner/Chef delivers Caribbean Cuisine like no other! There are so many awesome places to eat, I just can’t name them all here but, for Food & Drinks, definitely, I would take people to Twisted Soul – Southern Food and a smooth Bourbon will make you want to stay all day. One also needs to experience Chef Zu of Kings Apron. A day with this Man will change your life! From food to gardening to Minerals and Herbs, this guy is, as I said, an experience. I am in awe of his knowledge and skills.
I would also like to introduce people to the Black Cowboy Association. You haven’t lived life until you’ve ridden a Horse through the city streets of Atlanta.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Yes! I want to give a Shoutout to several people:
first would be my Mentor – Reverend Melvin Black. From the moment I met Black, he has been behind the scenes pushing buttons to help me achieve what I’ve set out to achieve. Today, he is helping me to establish a Non-Profit to further meet my goals of helping people.
Next would be my Mother – Winifred Watkins. Mom was my Cheerleader as well as my critic. She helped me find balance and kept me aware of the entrapments of life. I still speak to her internally when I find myself in places involving tough decisions. She always knew what to say.
Lastly, and certainly not the least of these, are my Friends and Business Partner – Marrio Harper. His sense of rationality and wisdom has and does help me stay focused. An amazing Man and Elite Music Producer.

Website: www.greaturbaneats.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/greaturbaneats

Facebook: www.facebook.com/greaturbaneats

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@GreatUrbanEatsTMTelevisionShow

Other: www.tiktok.com/greaturbaneats

Image Credits
Credits: Great Urban Eats