Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000
Journalist and culinary storyteller using food to document life—blending Southern flavor, wellness, and lived experience into every dish.
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My signature dish is vegetable beef stew. At 10, I made my Dad’s recipe during a 4-H competition. I used basketball as the analogy. I mixed up Shaq, Penny Hardaway and several others’ jersey numbers. I ran off stage. They stopped the clock. They allowed me to return and finish. I earned third place and $50 for my Barbie fund. Dad was shattered. Today, I add merlot and a few secret Southern ingredients. I serve it in a cornbread bowl or with an elegant elevated grilled cheese.
Who is your culinary inspiration?In addition to Chef Carla, I am deeply inspired by my parents, who cook and preserve food together. Watching their teamwork in the kitchen taught me that food is not just about flavor—it is about love, rhythm, culture, and connection. My culinary inspiration also comes from my travels, especially throughout Africa and during my time living in New York City.
What would you do with the $25,000?I would use a portion of the $25,000 to support a food shelters in HSV and BHM. I envision exclusive seasonal five-to-seven-course Southern dining events in hidden locations, with clues leading guests to the table. I would source local ingredients and pay farmers fair prices while creating gatherings that spark good moods and please tastebuds. These dinners would help fund Kalisha’s Kitchen, a traveling initiative serving the same caliber of cuisine to those facing hardship.
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