Today we’d like to introduce you to Keshia Hay.
Hi Keshia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ahaha where to start…well this may sound a big cliché but my food & creative adventures started when I was very little. Drawing, sewing, cooking & crafting…I was into it all. Fast forward to the fourth grade where I met my life-long best friend/sister and champion, Meredith. From there, the food shenanigans we got into were pretty epic (in our minds)!
One memory that I fondly ponder on, was coming home after school and is making a snack. We wanted pizza but we didn’t have the proper ingredients on hand. Hungry, we got innovative and decided to craft our own version from random pantry items in her kitchen (flour tortillas, shredded cheese, and a “makeshift” sauce). The sauce we concocted from canned tomato paste took random spices, gave them a sniff, and if they smelled like pizza then well it must be right for pizza! Practically training our senses to formulate a “from scratch” recipe.
Over time our skills got better but it was all in fun. My actual focus was veering in the direction of fashion design. Fully driven by that medium, I went on to attend O’More College of Design and acquired my BFA in Fashion Design & Merchandising. While in pursuit of this “pipe dream” I was still fully immersed in food. Working at my first restaurant (family-owned) at 15 to bartending at a country club in college. After graduating in the spring of 09’, I had the opportunity to visit Paris, France. That trip fully solidified my passion & motivation for food and moving into the culinary arts direction full time.
To date, I’ve had over 20+ years in the industry Serving, bartending, baking, working on a food truck, you name it. Throughout all that time, my dreams for becoming an entrepreneur was becoming more prevalent.
I established “SIP N BITE” and began private cheffing in 2014. Experimental to start only to blossom into the beautiful business I have today. I celebrate 3 years of being a full-time entrepreneur/private chef this month!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ooooh boy has it been smooth?
I mean, for the most part, it’s been “comme ci comme ça”. I’m not “classically trained” nor did I get a formal education in culinary. I think it was for the best for me to learn from the ground up. Working the various positions I’ve had, experimenting at home, and integrating my eye for design has made the creative process as smooth as it could be.
The entrepreneur end not so smooth. Being a woman of color in this industry in particular honestly, is and has not been easy. Finding my voice/footing, bundled into wanting to be taken seriously & gaining the respect of my peers, clients, and collaborators took much time along with perseverance. It is still a bit of a struggle today. Also, learning how to ask for my worth and be compensated in that way was something I wasn’t too confident in the beginning.
I took “the leap” back in 2019 and had to learn some lessons really quickly. In order to be sustainable and have consistency in my business, I had no other choice but to stand firm in my worth and not to say “yes” to every potential client or opportunity that came about. As tempting or difficult as it is, having these boundaries has been pivotal to my growth.
This industry(culinary) is still very much “white male” dominated. The opportunities for women like me are very slim and coveted. There is some break of light where BIOPIC women are making headway and are being recognized as leaders and innovators. However, we still have a very long way to go and much work to do to continue to lift these voices and have more stable platforms.
We need more than “blacked out” squares on grids and one dedicated month out of the year to take us where we need to go.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the chef & owner of Sip N Bite || Private Chef LLC.
Combining both of my loves (fashion & food) I create unique & highly sensorial dining experiences. With Sip N Bite, I specialize in services ranging from intimate gatherings such as “date night in” for 2, & “pop up” dining experiences including my signature “Haute Thés” (high-teas) to seasonal tasting menus & elevated dinners.
An experience I’m most proud of, was my “SNB Virtual Supper Club”. I launched this back in 2020 as a “panic pivot” during the height of the pandemic. From April to October, I offered my “SNB Package”. An inspired weekly “pop up” menu (prepared & delivered) including a mini floral arrangement and musical playlist, and “add ons” including seasonal cordial mixers, local confections, and suggested wine pairings. Each month was a different theme, and I was able to collaborate with some of my fellow creatives/entrepreneurs providing a thoughtful and special packaged experience while sheltering-in-place.
Being a self-proclaimed “flower child” I cook, bake, and incorporated edible flowers into most all my dishes. This is what I’m most recognized for and you can see it threaded all throughout my gallery of work. And I recently launched my floral-inspired kitchen provisions “Sorcière De Cuisine”. A rotating small-batch collection including signature spice blends, candles, and more to make magic & bring out your inner “kitchen witch”.
I guess what sets me apart from other is my creative direction & connection. Energy and connection are very important to me so when working with new & regular clients, it’s emphasized that not only we mesh well but that they understand my creative process. I live for the full sensorial experience from prep to presentation. To dig deep in the menu creation and really give the client beyond what they expected is my goal. The same for designing experiences or collaborating with others. Intention and connection is key…being to openly express myself creatively is the cherry on top.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Yes yes yes! If you can acquire a mentor, DO IT!
I met my lovely mentor and dear friend, Sophia of Projet Chocolat, almost 4 years ago. She and I met serendipitously through a former colleague. Sophia is a former “private chef” turned “chocolate sommelier” and has inspired & molded me personally/professionally in ways I never could’ve imagined. To have someone champion for you and at the same give you a bit of tough love has helped me in unmeasurable ways. She keeps me accountable for my goals and has opened me up to thinking intentionally accomplishing my passions & dreams.
My advice would be, to have intention when aligning yourself with those who have similar aspirations and motivations as you and have consistent direction. Also being open to the gifts/connections the universe may bring in the meantime.
And let me emphasize, “NO” is your best friend let me repeat ”NO” is your best friend! You don’t have to say “YES” to everyone or everything. There’s nothing worse than setting yourself up in a situation that you absolutely know doesn’t align with your purpose. Sophia really ingrained this into me. It has saved me so much time and energy not wasted and has kept me focused in the best way.
Doing this both in finding a mentor and in networking has helped in the progression of my career and I intel have been able to help others.
Contact Info:
- Email: sipnbitecocktail@gmail.com
- Website: www.sipnbiteprivatechef.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sip_n_bite_cocktail
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/sip.n.bite.cocktail
Image Credits
Joseph Patrick
Sophia Rae
Keshia Hay
Carly Summers “
Daniel Rivera
Bethany Long
Angelea Presti-Yoder
Betsy A Phillips
