Rahmana Ali

My Honey Pie is my signature dish. It's what I am known for. Earth, Wind, and Fire sang about my pie years ago. It's truly a pie that was handed down to me by my great-grandmother Mary Lee Newma, she was born in 1907. I adapted the recipe, renamed it and made it my own as I got older. From Hawaii to Uganda that pie is known.

I am blissed to have many. My Auntie LaRita was my culinary inspiration growing up along with Julia Child, Martin Yan, Jacques, and my imagination. I see and smell the finished dish, and can taste it before I even create the recipe. I would watch her cook and couldn't wait to grow up and do everything that she did. Her motto was "We only eat beautiful food". Her food presentation skills were topnotch. Everything was always beautiful and delicious. That's important.

I would start my restaurant. That is my dream. I have studied cookbooks since a child and started cooking at 7. I have been a Chef for over 30 years. I have traveled for food and history, learning and creating. Africa, Caribbean, North America, I AM THE DIASPORA. I have a catering business and feed the homeless with no outside help. I would love to have even a food truck, that ensures that I have a place to make that continue to be a reality of serving the community and teaching through food.