Student Spotlight

Apprentice Chef Kasey

At 26 years old, Kasey lived through more ups and downs than many people in their eighties.  At the age of 4, Kasey's mother passed away.  She and her 5 siblings moved in with her maternal grandmother in South Memphis.  Her grandmother was the bedrock of her family, taking in several of Kasey's cousins as well over the years.  According to Kasey, there were anywhere from 9 to 13 kids living with her grandmother at any given time in a 4–5-bedroom house.  Kasey remembers her grandmother doing everything she could to provide for her and her siblings, but Kasey felt the constant pressure her grandmother was under just to meet their basic needs.  At a young age, Kasey tried to help financially by selling plates to neighbors, but when the money didn't materialize, Kasey became discouraged and stopped cooking.  She remembers being frustrated with all the financial burdens, and at the age of about 15, she began taking to the streets of Memphis to make money.  Kasey remembers she started by selling drugs and then gradually moved to stealing cars and carjacking.  Before seeing her 18th birthday, Kasey was arrested.  She was sent to a juvenile detention center for 2 and a half years before being transferred to an adult facility for an additional 2 and a half years.  You could say that Kasey hit rock bottom by going to jail.  However, Kasey says that it was in jail where her life took a 180-degree turn.  She grew closer to God and began to take pride in her work duties of cleaning and working in the prison kitchen.  She felt peace by bringing order out of the chaos around her.  When she was released, she became involved with the Memphis Allies and received counseling and support services to help her find a new way forward.  This connection led her to the SOW project and to where she is today.  She was able to channel her earlier experience in the kitchen into a roadmap for her future.  Talking to Kasey now, you can see the hope in her eyes and her pride in her work.  She credits the SOW project with opening her eyes to new people, new foods and positive life experiences.  Through the SOW project, Kasey has been able to overcome limitations with her ADHD and focus on detailed assignments.  She credits the SOW project with teaching her discipline, how to self-reflect, and that your past doesn't have to determine your future.  She feels that she has gained not only culinary knowledge but also life skills that she could take with her to any vocation.  Kasey is now planning on continuing to pursue a career in the culinary arts and hopes to have her own catering business someday.  From running the streets of Memphis to cooking in one of the most respected kitchens in the city at Erling Jensen's, Kasey is truly an inspiration and hopefully only one of many success stories of the SOW project.  Kasey's advice to prospective students is to be patient.  She reports that patience is key when trying to find your purpose and feels that the SOW project can help anyone to find their purpose, not just in the kitchen, but in life and their future.