Chef Jamika Pessoa is a dynamic businesswoman and an inspiration to many. She is shaking up expectations of what a female chef can accomplish. Currently, she’s an entrepreneur, TV host, motivational speaker, philanthropist, wife, mom, and so much more. This Southern belle has Caribbean roots and describes her culinary style as “Caribbean heat meets Southern sweet.”
How did you become a chef?
I was working in Atlanta at this marketing company after 9/11, so everybody was being laid off and things were crazy. They pulled me into the office and said, “We’ll demote you if you want to stay or you can take your stuff and just go right now.” Before you even think of the answer your mouth just spouts out, and I was like ‘let me go.”
I was just going through so many different emotions, and I just started cooking, because I’ve always loved cooking. I grew up cooking with my grandmother; [I was] the youngest of three girls. Food is what I knew and what I loved. That’s the only thing I was really good at, but I never thought of it as a career. I just started cooking and just pulling things out. Before I knew it, I had this whole meal and I wasn’t even consciously thinking about it because I was still in my emotions. I was like, “wait a minute, why am I not doing this [professionally]?”
Talk about your show, “The Good Dish.” What is it about?
We cover everything. We’ve got celebrity guests coming in and I got to cook with Susan Lucci and Laila Ali. That’s a whole other thing, but we get to do everyday recipes that anyone can make, duplicate and enjoy. We make sure that the price point is right. All those hacks on TikTok we test for you and if doesn’t really work, we let you know so you don’t have to waste your time and money. It has every single thing for every person, regardless of your lifestyle. It’s a fun show. We laugh, and I am as silly as can be, but I make sure I give you the recipe at the same time. There are also cocktails involved, and where there are cocktails, who knows what could happen?
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a culinary career?
If you want to become a classically trained chef, you can always go to culinary school for that. I see so many people, especially on Instagram and TikTok, who’ve got their side business.
Don’t think that side hustles have to stay a side hustle. You [can] gradually move into it so that side check becomes the main thing. [As] you progress, plan and invest the money. A lot of people try to cut corners, but you have to invest in a quality product so that people trust and know and will accept and receive what it is that you’re doing. Make a business plan, even if it’s not a full-fledged plan, write something down on paper because that is also your form of prayer.
“The Good Dish” airs weekdays at 4 p.m. EST on CTV.
