Milwaukee — “What’s for you, no one can take from you.”
These are the words Chef Adjoya ‘Joya’ Courtney lives religiously as her culinary career continues to grow by the second.
“Thank you. Blessed. Definitely surreal,” said Chef Joya.
The famous vegan chef has over 100,000 followers on Facebook, 27,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, and nearly 130,000 followers on Instagram. She uses those social media her platforms to teach people how to cook vegan meals.
“I like to focus on soul food, Southern cuisine, African and Caribbean cuisine.”
She says her love of cooking began when she was a little girl growing up watching her grandmother cook meals in the kitchen in Milwaukee.
“I was always helping her out and was always with her in the kitchen,” she explained.
Growing up vegan, Joya has learned over time how to create vegan meals that are not only healthy, but delicious. In 2018, her career as a chef began.
“I hear a lot about being vegan bad, bland, this, that, and so on. I wonder what they eat,” says Joya. “The process I thought of was to give people her recipe for free for 30 days, tell them how to make it, show them a picture. It spread quickly.”
Since then, Chef Joya has joined the Food Network, authored four cookbooks, and launched his own seasoning line.
“I am always creating. I am always passionate about everything I do.”
So when she was asked to be the keynote speaker at the 11th Annual MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit, she said she had no idea. This is a free program for Milwaukee entrepreneurs of all levels to network and learn what it takes to become a successful business owner.
“I haven’t been on a straight and narrow path. There have been many ups and downs, sideways and around corners, but I still have a success story,” said Joya.
And I hope that sharing her story will inspire others to take a chance on themselves.
“By the time I finish speaking, I want everyone to feel like I can do it, I’m going to do it, it’s going to happen.
The summit will be held on Saturday, January 28th at 10:00 am at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School. Chef Joya will be speaking at 11am.
Report typos and errors /// send news tips
