Meet Shamikia: Personal chef & Entrepreneur

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

Hi Shamikia, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson that my business/ career has taught me is that, you have to be willing to learn, listen, be consistent, and put yourself around good genuine people that are willing to help you achieve your goals. You have to be around the shakers and movers as friend of mine would always say. Get with people that are interested in what you’re interested in, doing what you’re doing so you can learn from one another and possibly build with one another. What I also learned is that you have to be very true to yourself and the work that you create, never be something or someone your not, it’s very hard to mimic something that’s not in you naturally. When you are your authentic self everything just flows better. Things just seem to come out right in my opinion.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Well I am a personal chef originally from South Jamaica Queens New York, and I now live in Atlanta Georgia and have been for the past seven and half years. I had no idea that I’d become a chef one day. It wasn’t in my plan, to be honest I don’t think I even had a plan before relocating to Georgia. I was a phlebotomist working my regular 9-5 , but I also was a phlebotomists that loved to cook, eat, and feed people (so maybe it was in the plan all along) and that was just it for me. It was my co-workers and friends that would tell me how much I should look into doing something with cooking because according to them my food was the “bomb” !! But even still becoming a chef didn’t register like that to me. It wasn’t until I made my first successful peach cobbler that I realized that I may have a talent, or maybe a gift, or that maybe I’m actually really really really good at this cooking thing. Cooking would allow me to be creative and full of joy while doing it ,that’s when I realized what the feeling of being in your element felt like. I am where I am today because I’m resilient. It’s just that simple, because being a mom, wife, chef and entrepreneur isn’t easy some days because finding the time and the balance of it all can be challenging, but I never stop. I may slow down but I never stop and that’s the resilience in me. Lessons I’ve learned along the way is trust yourself. Cheer yourself on. Believe that you can. Ask for help. Be true to your work and self. Take the time to rest and reset. Never stop learning, listening and creating. What I want the world to know about my brand and story is that everything is from the heart of my childhood , some from the memories that my grandmother left with me through her cooking, some from my summer trips to South Carolina. I want people to know that I want to always bring that nostalgia to my table and create new memories for some.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m into art and so are my friends so making sure we stop at the High Museum of Art is a must they have wonderful exhibits. We’d visit Ponce city market and enjoy a frose or a king of pops or just browse (but we’d definitely get a frose and some king of pops popsicles). I love me a good taco so we would most definitely check out one of my favorite taco spots here in Atlanta which is Taqueria del sol it’s the fried chicken tacos for me and the Memphis taco, I get the same thing every time I go. I love good barbecue so we would definitely check out Herb’s rib shack in Marietta, I always get the rib plate nothing else just ribs, their chicken is delicious too. Mckendricks steakhouse love that place it’s quiet the food is delicious they have a great selection of red wines. For a night of vibes with good food, music, drinks and decor we’d have to stop by APT4B located in buckehead the oxtail hummus with the toasted roti is sickening (that means ridiculously good), they also have a drink that was so refreshing and I believe it’s called the Thyme Traveler it was delicious. I Love Vietnamese food so without a doubt we’d stop by Pho Dakao in Marietta GA. and have some delicious pho and Thai milk tea. I still have so many places to explore myself here in Georgia so we’d all be on a journey of exploring new eats and fun places.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shout out to my husband who never ceases to amaze with the amount of love and encouragement and support that he gives me. When things get rough he’s the one that continues to push me , and let’s me know that it’s ok to hit the reset button and start over if you have to. And that it’s also ok to walk in your magic and purpose without feeling guilty and less deserving of it. I also want to shout out my mother who’s been my rider and also one of my biggest supporters throughout my culinary journey. She is really proud of me and that makes me feel amazing. And last but not least my 5 year old daughter definitely deserves a shout out because she keeps my confidence up, she tells me all the time “mommy you’re the bestest chef” and that’s all I need (she just likes my chicken wings and pasta lol).

Instagram: Eatatmytable_
Other: My website is under construction at the moment. I can be reached via email at eatatmytable@gmail.com I typically respond within 24-48hrs.

Image Credits
Larry Young of Lawrenceyoungphotography.com Jason Lapointe of J. Augustphotography.com Leslie Andrews of LeslieAndrewsphotography.com