Meet Willie Wallace | Culinary artist and Restaurant Consultant

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

Hi Willie, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
God has given us all gifts and we are here to create. I’ve been fortunate enough to live a life full of opportunities to use my gifts. From playing professional basketball overseas to now creating cuisines that an idea is manifested with my hands on to a plate. Feeding someone is one of the most intimate acts love because it can literally change the mood of a person and make their day. I knew that this was my holy grail because I have changed lives.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Ive always been an artistic person, whether it was drawing, martial arts and sports. When I played basketball, i was able to showcase my skills in a very artistic way from the way I shot the ball from 3 or drove the lane for a dunk. I had to be light on my feet for a big guy (6’8) and had to adjust the way i played regardless of who was guarding me.
Now I take my love for food and art and combine the two and made it my profession. It really is my holy grail and gift from God, When I would cook for Kanye, one of the most artistic people on the planet, would mention that when it came time to eat, he enjoyed being surprised by what was presented to him because my creativity would inspire him to go make music. good food leaves you in a good mood, and to see him and everyone leave the dining room happier than they came, I knew this was it. If I can inspire him I can inspire the world. It wasnt easy tho, most people can’t decide on what they want to eat for themselves on a daily basis, it was my job day in and day out to make meals for him and never miss! Talk about pressure!! I embraced the challenge and my confidence grew, now I understand the importance of food and how it can influence us daily. It’s extremely important what we put in our body and I’ve seen on a high level of how it can affect the world. When you listen to the album Donda, you can hear my food!!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite things to do is eat and i love a good rooftop view so we would stop by the Waygu house and enjoy some good eats and take in the city views. Then one of my go to spots at night is Rocksteady, always a great time and always shown some love. We gotta check out MCK for the vibes, great food and drinks. Last but not least would be my very own restaurant in Stone Mountain called Rewind bistro and lounge, because what better place are you going to eat?

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?
First of all I want to show love to myself, once i believed that I could do it, I just put one foot in front of the other and made it happen. I want to show love to every client thats ever booked me, there is zero way for me to able to express my gift without them trusting in me to provide for their special moments. I want to show love to the chefs and restaurateurs that I leaned on when I started out that guided me, I’ve taken a little piece of all them to help me become who I am. Much love to those that have sous cheffed for me, I’ve had a lot of help over the years and I’m extremely appreciative. My parents get much love for the constant support that they give me. It’s tough being an entrepreneur and they have held it down for me, even as lawyers now, they make sure im protected. Much love to my Daughters mom Janeve, she now holds my daughter down but even before she became my pastry chef during the time of working with Yeezy and match my frequency with bomb desserts for all those that had a sweet tooth.

Instagram: thegreatchefwilliewallace

Other: Tik Tok: chefwilliewallacejr

Image Credits
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