Just Call Me Chef is a call to action movement, highlighting Black Women Chefs, more than just a calendar. Just Call me Chef is a sisterhood, a professional networking organization, mentorship, and marketing.

Founded by Culinary Socialite, Catina Smith. The Mission includes to have members traveling to different cities, connecting with other chefs, hosting panels, and demos.

There are many black chefs that have "made it", but it is rare that we see them in the spotlight. Representation matters and Just Call me Chef is looking to change the narrative, break not only glass ceilings as women, but also shatter sterotypes of what it means to be a black chef.

On a journey to connect and inspire, we are launching a social media campaign using the hashtag #justcallmechef on instagram and twitter, giving our followers a look into our stories as black women chefs.

JUST CALL ME CHEF

CHEF CAT

Chef Catina Smith, or Chef “Cat,” as she is affectionately called, is one of Baltimore’s well known and impactful chefs. Chef Cat studied culinary arts at Baltimore International College, earning her degree in Professional Cooking, before beginning service to her country in the Air Force reserves. She earned an Associate’s Degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management from the Community College of the Air Force. Chef Cat also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management, and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Acquisition.

Chef Cat began her career as a garde manger cook and moved up the culinary ranks quickly. Her passion and drive then led her to the line. Within a short time she took the sous chef position at Guy Fieri’s Kitchen and Bar. She then went on to become Executive Chef at Dovecote Cafe and Notre Dame of Maryland University. Other notable kitchens she has worked in include; Magdalena and the Alexander Brown Restaurant. She currently works at Copper Kitchen, one of the premier catering companies in Baltimore.

Catina is also a private chef, creating in-home restaurant experiences for her clients. She also teaches classes, performs cooking demonstrations, speaking encouragement , and caters intimate events.

Cat has a tremendous work ethic, determination and drive. An experienced entrepreneur, she has founded two organizations; Culinary Socialite a foodie lifestyle brand and parent company to her other initiatives; and Just Call Me Chef, a sisterhood for networking, mentoring, and building community amongst black female chefs. Just Call Me Chef is changing the narrative, breaking not only the glass ceiling, but also shattering stereotypes. Her most popular project is the JCMC calendar highlighting black women chefs around the country.

Chef Cat is deeply engaged in her hometown of Baltimore; providing networking opportunities, working with nonprofit organizations, mentoring, and highlighting local businesses and chefs. She currently produces several events; Brunch for Brothers, a monthly mentoring opportunity for young Black men; Crust & Cocktails, a networking event series for creative professionals; Taste Baltimore, a food emporium highlighting local businesses and local chefs; and Sunset Kickback, an outdoor food and music festival.

She also serves on the board of The Food Project, where she teaches cooking classes and food safety to kids. Chef Cat lives in Baltimore with her two beautiful kids, Micah and Isaiah.

For Chef Cat, “opportunity is the key to inclusion and diversity in every kitchen.”

@justcallmechef.co

@naturallychefcat

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Chef Amma Hammah

My name is Ama Hammah, owner and head chef at Ama's Catering Experience (A.C.E.) My relationship with food and my affinity for cooking developed many years ago, this organically turned into a desire to share the meals I prepare. Over the last five years, I have been dedicated to reimagining African and Carribean cuisine, making sure that every experience positively stimulates the five senses of each dinner. I am currently, traveling the world, expanding my own palette and adding new ingredients, techniques and culture to my menu. I take pride in knowing that each of my clients will leave having an experience with me completely full; heart, tummy and spirit.

Shayla Dorsey

Shayla Felton-Dorsey is a Personal Chef/ Instructor whose passion is to merge her love of the Culinary Arts and Education for her community,clients and students .One might say that the culinary arts runs in Chef Shayla’s blood! She comes from a long lineage of cooks and while growing up could be found in the kitchen mixing, whipping, and, of course, tasting.

Chef Shayla has worked in both the front and back of the house in the restaurant and hospitality industry and is passionate about bringing Food Education and the Culinary Arts into her community. She has taught at the Philadelphia Free Library, at Ambrosia Food Group and Communities, Families, and Schools as a Culinary Instructor.

Chef Shayla has also started her own Personal Chef and Catering Company;Shayla’s Savour, where she creates delectable dishes combining her love of southern hospitality, Afro-Caribbean flavors and spice, as well as her passion for new food concepts. Be it plant-based, gluten-free, or paleo, Chef Shayla creates dishes to delight her clients’ palates.

An avid reader , Chef Shayla is a true renaissance woman with a passion for educating the community.

As a J.C.M.C chapter president , I am looking forward to partnership,sisterhood and unity.

Chef Kris Style

Kristian Knight- Miller formally known as Chef Kris, born and raised in East Baltimore MD, educated in Baltimore City schools and the oldest sister to three siblings. Kristian’s love has always been food. But due to her troubled childhood and mischievous childhood behavior the kitchen was often used as a form of punishment. Furthermore her die hard passion was to become a children’s oncology nurse. Nursing was not an unforeseeable career path choice seeing as though she was a ward of the state and naturally took to jobs involving medicine and humanitarianwork until eventually landing at oncology. While enrolled in a clinical nursing program Kristian’s mother, Deborah, was diagnosed with an acute illness. Kristian immediately began to see a decline in her passion for nursing as this is a field her mother shared.With her mother’s permission, shortly before her passing, Kristian withdrew from her clinical nursing program residency at Johns Hopkins and decided she would take the world by storm. Her first step was starting culinary school immediately. After achieving her certification, Kristian still had a hunger for more. She would ask herself while selling self prepared dinners at her previous place of employment “how could I one day equate to more earnings than my 80 hour work week”. Following this realization, Kristian and her business partner Charles Miller, which also happens to be her spouse, opened up Sunnyside Cafe on 2420 E. Monument. SunnySide Cafe later relocated to 2110 E Monument Street. It is at this location where we have received several awards, media coverage, and a Yelp award.

Ama's Catering Experience

Personal Chef. Educator. Self Care

Sunny Side Cafe

Chef Rabia Kamara

Ruby Scoops Ice Cream & Sweets

Rabia Kamara is a DMV native hailing from Silver Spring, MD. Growing up as the youngest of first generation Americans in an African household, Rabia was introduced to food and hospitality at a young age and fell in love with sweets in elementary school. As Rabia neared her matriculation from Virginia Commonwealth University and prepared to attend law school, she decided to follow her heart and stomach and forego law school for culinary school. Rabia has been a culinary professional in the DC area for eight years, three of those in pastry. Rabia started Ruby Scoops four years ago when she felt desserts in DC were lacking the shine and attention they truly deserved. Ruby Scoops can be in food/farmers markets, restaurants, and small grocers in and around DC.

Chef Jamaria Crump

LemonTopia

At 12 years old, Jamaria Crump is the owner and baker at LemonTopia, a popup Lemonade and Dessert Bar that offers over 30 flavors of creative and sophisticated lemonades, using many locally sourced ingredients and home grown produce. LemonTopia hopes to move others toward healthy and sustainable food practices, eventually eliminating food deserts in the city. As an aspiring pastry chef, Jamaria bakes complementary citrus flavored cookies, cakes, pies and more to match her lemonade flavors. In 3 years her mobile shop has served over 25,000 cups of lemonade and hundreds of desserts to customers across the DMV through hundreds of events, Jamaria has been featured in Scholastic Magazine, Baltimore Business Journal, on multiple local news stations, and even the Los Angeles Times for her talents. LemonTopia’s next goal is to create an innovative new concept that combines food truck, camper, and cafe, that will travel and serve lemonade lovers even further away as Jamaria travels to food hubs nationwide.

Chef Amber Croom

Executive Pastry Chef at Woodberry Kitchen

I'm a Birmingham, AL native who loves my momma, pizza, fantasy scifi, a great margarita, a great piece of chocolate, and lots and lots of sleep (when I'm not watching funny cat videos). One of my greatest life experiences was my first job as a chef aboard Silver Sea Cruise Ship where I ate and cooked with people from various cultures around the world. My favorite ingredient to work with is chocolate because there is nothing that can't be solved with it.While I have achieved many of my professional dreams, hosting my own traveling show is still one of my biggest ones to reach. A life of traveling the world and eating desserts; what could be better?

Chef Cia Carter

Miss Carters Kitchen LLC

Chef Carter came from humble beginnings, raised by a single working mother, she spent most of her time in her grandmother's kitchen. It is here where she constantly observed her grandmother cook up savory soul food dishes. As a young girl, she started helping her grandmother and mom around the kitchen and soon developed a love for different cooking techniques. She was inspired by how food can tell a story, convey cultural ideas, and bring people together. Her respect for quality and traditional food motivated her to attend the Lincoln Culinary Institute. While in school, she sold dinners to save money to start her own business. As a result, in 2017 she opened her first soul food and seafood restaurant. She opened her second restaurant in 2018 and is currently working on her third location. With a huge social media following, and major support from her community, she has inspired young people to step out on faith and start their own pathways to success. Her number one principle in life is “learning is never an easy enterprise but through hard work and strength you will persevere.” Chef Carter is considered a trailblazer in Baltimore City and she plans to take over the world!

DraLisa Smart

Save Room Desserts, LLC.

North Carolina native DraLisa Smart, Bakery Owner of Save Room Desserts, an online made to order bakery specializing in custom cakes, cupcakes and sugar cookies. Despite taking a different path through collegiate studies and now a corporate career, she has continued to nurture her love for baking through self-study and was convinced by loved ones to start her own business. Her desserts have graced birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, corporate parties and around the country through her Etsy shop. In the last year, she’s taken her interest of teaching and started a series of decorating workshops for both children and adults! Everyday she continues to elevate her craft and is excited for what God has next in this journey!

Carleen Goodridge

Le Monade

Carleen is a Baltimore Based Chef and Creative Entrepreneur. Le MONADE is her Beverage based company where she crafts artisanal drink mixers, wellness blends and unique simple syrups. She recently launched Cōl Bōl - a Pop Up Dining Experience that honors her West African Heritage. She serves up traditional Liberian Cuisine and creates modern plates inspired by the flavors of her beautiful culture.

Carleen always looks forward to collaborative opportunities within the culinary world locally and beyond.

Chef Carlisha Vital

Vital Nutrients

From the age of 4 my love for cooking has literally stuck with me in my adult years. At 4 years old I remember going to the stove and attempting to fry some chicken, I know crazy! The last thing I remember is me screaming so loud I woke the entire apartment in severe pain and my mom had to rush me to the hospital. Luckily I didn't have any long lasting problems except my love for food.

Fast forward to 1998, I’m a freshman in high school trying to determine what will I do with my future. I turned to my local vocational school and decided that I will take full advantage of what the school had to offer and I enrolled in the Culinary program and learned some of the basic skills. It's now 2002 and I'm a senior thinking to myself what do I do next with my life? I was so inspired by Emeril Lagasse that I decided to enrolled at Johnson and Wales University. This was one of the best decisions I ever made! I spent some time working at Shelter Harbor Country Club in Westerly, Rhode Island and also at Justin's in Albany, New York; among other experiences at local hotels.

I am now a mom of 3 and a wife another great decision of mine. My husband has inspired me to pursue my dreams and finally open our catering business. Crazy huh?!

Fast forward 2019 we have Vital Nutrients up and running. The adventures have been amazing. I have never been happier and I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Chef Huda Mu'min

Chef Huda’s Kitchen

Chef Huda, a multi-talented personality, is the Executive Chef, founder and CEO of Chef Huda’s Kitchen, a unique culinary company specializing in healthy comfort food. Her mission is to inspire, educate and empower people through food.

She made history as the highest earning winner of Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen and was a favorite on ABC's "The Taste" with Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson. She was honored to be a guest chef twice for The White House for President Obama and First Lady Michelle.

Chef Huda devotes a lot of her time to important causes, such as serving as an Ambassador for The American Heart Association, supporting the American Diabetes Association, and Chefs Move! to Schools, a Let's Move! initiative.

As an acclaimed chef, she has received numerous honors including PGCSIF’s Forty under 40 and the Tastemaker Excellence Award, in addition to her delicious cuisine being featured at Disney's Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival, Food Network & The Cooking Channel's New York City Wine & Food Festival, Essence Festival and on NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, MSNBC, and in The Washington Post, Ebony Magazine, Vogue (Italia) and many more.

Chef Huda recently launched her new spice line of premium chef curated spice blends and rubs crafted from only the finest natural ingredients to create bold flavors. Just Savor By Chef Huda was created to inspire people to Cook, Share, Enjoy and Just Savor!

Chef Stacia Epps

Executive Chef of Maison IntimateCatering

With an eye for color and design, a flair for presentation and authenticity, Executive Chef Stacia Epps is the Owner of Maison Intimate Catering in Havre de Grace, MD. Emphasizing her unique and exciting food creations, Chef Epps is determined to broaden the idea of "In- Home" dining in her local area. Graduating in 2013 from The Restaurant School of Walnut Hill in Philadelphia, PA, Chef Epps has expanded her culinary techniques, studying in France and defining the flavors of the French and Vietamese cuisine. Since the establishment of Maison Intimate Catering, seeing the reaction of “joy” from those who have an opportunity to sample her cuisine, is her greatest accomplishment. Chef Epps is motivated and committed to making sure every event is unforgettable through impeccable service and extraordinary flavors.

Chef Keema Cooks

Chef in Chief - Keep it Tasteful

Known to the culinary world as Chef Keema (Keema Cooks), she was born and raised in New Jersey. Now a resident of Baltimore area since 2001. United States Navy Veteran, retired Intelligence Analyst - turned professionally trained chef. She attended L’Academie de Cuisine where she graduated with Honors and was nicknamed the Queen of Soups. She honed her skills at Charleston, a fine dining restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland.

Fortunate to work with some of the industry's finest, to include being a part of the culinary production team for the James Beard Award Winning cooking show - Pati’s Mexican Table (Chef Pati Jinich) for 4 seasons.

Aside from her private chef business (Keep It Tasteful) she loves to spend time visiting schools to provide cooking demos, spreading food allergy awareness and teaching culinary history. This role inspired her to start KiT Camp back in 2016. Where children and teens from ages 7-14 not only learn about food but using it as a tool for greater goods – “All is fair in love and food, and love for food.” Chef Keema.

Chef Tatiana Wingate

Owner - Sprinkled Sweetness Custom Cake Creations

Philadelphia native Tatiana Wingate is the owner of Sprinkled Sweetness Custom Cake Creations. After having held many positions in various kitchens she discovered her passion is entrepreneurship. While her specialty is cake artistry (abstract pieces being her favorite), she also creates beautiful plated desserts. She combines her southern roots with her classic French training to curate unique and sophisticated dishes that celebrate her culture. She believes representation and ownership are paramount in showing younger generations what is possible. She uses her pastry school Sprinkled Sweetness Academy to teach young aspiring pastry chefs how to start a business and fund their dreams.