Her Story
About Samekia
I have a bachelor's degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Purdue, and I've been passionate about cooking since childhood when I got my first Easy Bake oven. I currently teach culinary arts at the high school level, where I work with students to help them discover their passion for cooking and hospitality. I've worked in various settings including hotels, restaurants, and colleges, which gives me real-world experience to share with my students. I'm also a 4H advisor for an agriculture program called Agro, where young people learn to grow their own food and then cook with it. This work is especially meaningful to me because I eventually want to open my own farm-to-table restaurant and culinary school. I had the incredible opportunity to compete on Season 10 of MasterChef with Gordon Ramsay, which was an amazing experience. My approach to teaching is about helping students find their own path and purpose, not forcing them into careers they don't love, because I know firsthand what it's like to be in the wrong major before I found my true calling in hospitality.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Samekia
01What do you attribute your success to?
Honestly, I have to be truthful - God gets the glory at the end of the day. Even the little seeds that he planted when I was little, with the Easy Bake oven and watching Emeril Lagasse do BAM and just watching cooking shows, actually sparked my interest as a child. Everything starts in seed form, but it takes you to grow it. God is the biggest person in my life that helps me at this moment in time, especially to be the person that I am, but also to keep my integrity, be humble, and just stay on the path that he has for me. Purpose is a big thing for me, because people always be like, if you just seek God, he'll tell you your purpose. You need to figure out what you're good at, and then usually the one thing that irks you is the calling that you're supposed to be in.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't allow people to say what you can't do. Hospitality, especially in a kitchen, is a male-dominated industry, so they look down at women. And I'm like, who's the person that taught you how to cook? Oh, my mom, my grandma - and she's a woman? Okay, well then. They look down on women and don't think they're strong enough, but we're the ones that taught you how to cook. So don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something just because you're a woman in this industry.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Purpose is a big thing for me. I believe in keeping my integrity, being humble, and staying on the path that God has for me. I also believe strongly in hospitality and first impressions - they play a part because this is the first thing people see of you. I value helping students find their own path and purpose, not forcing them into careers based on what everyone else tells them. At the end of the day, you are your own person, and you pick and choose what's best for your life. I also value knowing when to put stuff down, when to pick stuff up, when to know this is not my battle, this is my battle - knowing when to fight and when not to fight.
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