Valerie Warrior

I am an avid seafood lover. My favorite city to visit is New Orleans, LA. In the late 90's I began studying NOLA recipes and adopted the food culture and made them my own. My mother Esther, "my FAV CHEF", taught me how to make a very flavorful Gumbo Roux. My signature dish is Seafood & Sausage Gumbo served with Rice and made from scratch: Crab Cakes, Muffuletta Sandwich, Hushpuppies and Beignets! BAM!

Next to Auntie Carla, my sister Vickie, who died suddenly on Dec 15, 2025 was my culinary inspiration! While both self-taught chefs/caterers, my sister pursued her passion professionally and became a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef. I'm the soul food lover and she loved to bake desserts. We swapped recipes, motivated and supported each other. This journey is for Vickie. In opening my cafe, my purpose is achieved in every meal I serve and in every opportunity I can help another chef achieve.

Winning would be more than a personal achievement—it would be a tribute to my sister, my mother, and the family legacy that taught me that food has the power to bring people together, heal hearts and create lasting memories! If selected as the 2026 Favorite Chef, I will award culinary scholarships in Vickie's honor, to assist aspiring chefs with their education and dreams just as she did as a single mom!