The saying goes “When life hands you lemons, you have to make lemonade…” but when it comes to chef Jourdan Cha’Tuan Atkinson, she made a gourmet meal.
Her passion for food began as a toddler when she’d work with wooden spoons by her grandmother’s side. Although her childhood included trauma and abuse, Jourdan overcame those tough and challenging times to follow and harness her dreams into a successful culinary career. We got the chance to chat with this inspiring woman and hear about what she likes to cook–and eat–and her mission to pay it forward.
Madame Noire: It seems that food was an early passion for you, but also a life-saver…
Jourdan Cha ‘Taun Atkinson: Cooking definitely kept me on the right path, I could have been out in the street, but instead I got lost in the kitchen and fell in love with experimenting with food.
MN: What was it about cooking that made you so passionate about it?
JCA: I’ve always been an artistic person, so creating recipes and experimenting with ingredients came pretty naturally. I like to compare being a fine artist to being a culinary artist. Instead of paint colors you’re using food. I have memories of being age three and doing basic things with my grandmother. Breakfast, I was trusted to be able to cook, it was sparked at a young age. When I was in the 8th grade, other people started to notice my cooking. I took a baking class and my teacher was impressed with my skills as well. It was an eye-opening year, but also probably the hardest year of my life because I was kicked out my home. Ultimately, I started caring for children in their homes and also cooking for the families. And was like a nanny/chef at 15.
MN: So you had these intense experiences that made you very independent and shaped your life…
JCA: I was out of the house at a young age and understood the idea, and importance, of doing something that you loved. I look back at it now and know that it was just preparation for what was coming my way.
MN: How did you get to culinary school?
JCA: I graduated high school and traveled around a bit and then went back to school in Seattle working three different jobs. I didn’t take out any loans, I believe in bartering and not having debt. I had a chance to meet Executive Chef Wayne Johnson and his personality impressed me. He was calm, and quiet and patient it was a whole different thing than I had been so accustomed to working with other chefs. They are usually very high-strung, and Chef Wayne wasn’t. After a meeting, I told him my goal of being a personal chef and I was able to start as a banquet chef at his Andaluca Restaurant in Seattle, Washington. It was a hard job and a good experience. He gave me responsibility and let me create menu items at 25-years-old…a very big deal.
MN: You also worked at the prestigious New York City Yacht Club, where you gained a reputation as a fearless innovator. When you were combining Italian and traditional Southern foods, were you trying to find your niche or did those two cuisines seem like an obvious match to you?
JCA: I’m mixed [race] and I’m always questioning things, like ‘why can’t this happen or why does it have to be that way?’ So, it was basically an instance where I said, I think these [cuisines] go together so I’m going to put them together. The combining of Italian and Southern foods was my final project in culinary school, so I combined my favorites–and created my Black Eye Pea Stuffed Ravioli–and it sold out, people enjoyed it.
MN: Most recently you served as executive personal chef for Sean “Diddy” Combs for three years and have also worked for Kevin Liles and Trey Songz. What about being a celebrity chef is attractive to you?
JCA: I always thought it would be exciting and interesting and there would never be a dull moment, and that is definitely true. But I also want to position myself to be able to help other young people who may have a life similar to what I’ve experienced.
MN: Is it a misconception that all chefs are over-weight just because of the sheer nature of the work? How do you stay in shape and healthy?
JCA: We really have a problem with eating fast, so I was like a sandwich and cereal person. Now, I eat lots of salad and fruits & vegetables. My ideal diet is eat every 3 hours, and three snacks in between. I also am a firm believer in E3Live. It’s an organic, nutritional algae drink that detoxifies the body and I highly recommend it. I’m about to send some to one of my current celebrity clients.
MN: What is your favorite thing to cook?
JCA: I like to cook for people who like food, I like for people to let me do my thing and create. My most nostalgic thing to make is apple pie because it’s what I cooked as a girl. I also love cooking my Parmesan crusted salmon that Diddy always requested, and smothered lobster tails.
MN: What is your favorite thing to eat?
JCA: I could eat Italian food and Southern food all day everyday, but I always try to keep it healthy and fresh. People just don’t get how all these chemicals are pushed into our foods and it’s killing us.
MN: What is your ultimate culinary goal?
JCA: I am in development phases of my own show.
MN: Why did you decide to become involved with community organizations?
JCA: Along with working as a motivational speaker with the ‘Healing Starts With Us’ campaign, I want to develop programs to help the inner city communities. I have a plan to help change the world. To employ people and give them the power to create their own destiny. I can follow quietly, but I’d rather lead.
MN: What makes you a Madame Noire?
JCA: When I talk to the kids [in inner cities] about my story, they are surprised about what I’ve been through. As a result [of my experiences] there was a period when I was depressed, confessed and acting out very aggressively. It wasn’t the right way or the best way, but I didn’t know who to talk to. I can always tell that when I open up to the kids and tell them my actions were a result of some of my hardships, they’re shell shocked, but they can relate and the dialogue begins. I didn’t have that growing up.
Black women are taught to hold it in and take on everyone’s pain and be there and stay strong and pray. It doesn’t have to be that way. For me, it’s not about getting therapy, but talking about my life.
