PLAYTES: On the Table From Laughing Stock to The Professor Chef

By The Professor Chef

Culinary Lifestyle Expert

When I first started cooking at 12 years old, I messed up bad.

My very first dish was fried chicken—and I didn’t use seasoning or flour. I really thought I was doing something too. My dad had to step in and tell me everything I was doing wrong. For a while after that, I became the laughing stock of the family.

But honestly, that moment lit a fire under me.

It didn’t immediately make me want to become a chef, but it made me determined to become a beast in the kitchen.

Less than six months later, I was cooking Mother’s Day breakfast. Then I went back home to visit my mother, and that whole summer I stayed in the kitchen.

I’m talking dinners, 4th of July cookouts, family events—everything.

I was either the main cook or responsible for the main dish. And somehow, the same fried chicken I messed up months before became the talk of the summer.

That’s when I realized improvement comes from repetition, failure, and pride in your craft.

⸻

By Thanksgiving, I was back with my pops helping make the family brisket.

Mind you, I was only 13 years old helping prepare meat for Thanksgiving dinner.

From ages 13 to 16, I cooked whatever came to mind. I experimented constantly. I wasn’t worried about labels or titles—I just loved being in the kitchen learning through experience.

Then around 17, cooking became fun in a different way.

That’s when creativity really kicked in.

I started making all kinds of dishes—Mexican food, soul food, Asian-inspired dishes, island flavors—anything that challenged me creatively. Around that time, people started telling me I should turn my passion into a career.

And eventually, I did.

⸻

But truthfully, back then I still only thought about “cooking.”

I wasn’t thinking about culinary arts yet.

I honestly didn’t start thinking culinary until I became a professional cook at 24 years old—after years of working in hospital kitchens, hotel kitchens, helping build catering businesses, doing plate sales, and cooking for over a decade.

That’s when everything changed mentally for me.

I stopped seeing food as just something to make and started seeing it as a craft, a science, a lifestyle, and a business all at once.

⸻

This last year has taught me more than I ever expected.

I’ve put literal blood, sweat, and tears into my craft. Long shifts. Burn marks. Stress. Learning curves. Sacrifices. Growth.

But through all of it, I can honestly say I’ve reached a point where I’m happier about this than anything else I’ve ever done.

Because now I know this isn’t just something I’m good at.

This is who I am becoming.

The Professor Chef.

And PLAYTES is only getting started.

PLAYTES UP.

Comments

PLAYTES: ON THE TABLE BEHIND THE BRAND: WHY MOST FOOD BUSINESSES DON’T LAST 3 YEARS

By The Professor Chef Culinary Lifestyle Expert A lot of people think food businesses fail because the food wasn’t good. Most of the time? That’s not the reason. A lot of food businesses shut down within the first few years because they run into problems they weren’t prepared for. The honeymoon phase wears off. Profit margins get thin. Operating costs rise. Equipment breaks. Inventory gets wasted. Labor gets expensive. Sales become inconsistent. And a lot of owners realize too late: Running a food business and cooking good food are two different skills. One of the biggest problems I notice is under-capitalization. People open with just enough money to get started… But not enough money to survive. That’s dangerous in food because this industry moves fast and costs add up even faster. That’s why I believe one of the smartest things a food business can do is secure at least: 12 months of working capital. Not just opening money. Operating money. Money to survive slow seasons, m...

PLAYTES: ON THE TABLE PRESENTATION MATTERS

By The Professor Chef Culinary Lifestyle Expert A lot of people think presentation only matters on expensive food or fancy plates. It doesn’t. Presentation matters on everything. Even something as simple as chocolate-covered strawberries. Because food is an experience before it’s ever a bite. People eat with their eyes first. That first look sets the tone. It builds excitement. It creates anticipation. It tells people you cared. And that matters. Because anybody can dip a strawberry in chocolate. But can you plate it? Can you build color? Texture? Contrast? Movement? Balance? Can you make something simple feel special? That’s the difference. Presentation doesn’t change the flavor… But it changes the experience. And in culinary? Experience means everything. That’s why I believe: Even the simplest plate deserves intention. Because details matter. And people remember how you made them feel. — The Professor Chef PLAYTES UP.

PLAYTES: On the Table The Dream Came Full Circle

By The Professor Chef Culinary Lifestyle Expert When I was a kid, I wanted to be a doctor. I even had someone I looked up to: Dr. Ben Carson, a Black neurosurgeon known for successfully separating conjoined twins. I read his book, watched his biopic, and connected deeply with his story. It wasn’t just his success that inspired me—it was his journey. Even as a young child, well before my teenage years, I saw parts of myself in his story. Seeing someone who looked like me accomplish something so great made me believe I could do something meaningful too. That’s what sparked my dream of becoming a doctor. ⸻ But then reality hit me. Once I realized how much school and training it would take, I thought, “Yeah… maybe not.” So I started looking for another path. That path eventually became cooking. What started as learning food and working in kitchens slowly turned into a real passion, then a career, and eventually something even bigger. Over the years, I worked in hospital kitchens, hotel kit...

Playtes: On The Table

Search This Blog