COMPETITOR

Soul Kiss Events and Catering

HEAD COOK: Ricarya Jackson

COMPETITION: World Burger Championship

Ricarya Jackson “Chef Rickie” to her clients, is the owner of Orlando’s Soul Kiss Events and Catering. “I knew I wanted to be a chef when I was nine. I used to sneak in the kitchen when my mom wasn’t home and cook the recipes from her Southern Living Cookbook.” But she’d have to dispose of the evidence before her mom got home because, “I wasn’t allowed to use the stove.” Still it would be years before Jackson turned that dream into reality. “I was a photographer, overnight stocker, waitress,” she says. But none of those fit. Chef Rickie would eventually change it up --going to the University of Central Florida where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Hospitality and Tourism Management. In 2017 while working on her master’s degree, she started offering fresh meal delivery to local businesses. The following year, she attended a blind audition for the FOX series "Master Chef," and advanced to the preliminary finals. “Competing against other talented chefs in their own right, and moving further in the casting process was not only a challenge, but a privilege,” she says. It was also a confirmation. “I was meant to be a chef!” Upon returning home Chef Rickie carried her passion into a full-service catering business. Today, she has a hand in every area, with staff made up of culinary students, hospitality industry professionals, and even family who back her brand. Today her clientele includes major corporations like Walmart and the New York Times. Chef Rickie isn’t content to sit on her success. She believes in staying true to her businesses roots, and continues to offer meal planning, event catering, delivery during the holiday season, cooking classes and private chef services for more intimate events and occasions. The Soul Kiss motto is, “A flavor for every soul” and that’s apparent in the various menu offerings --from soul food and Caribbean cuisine-- to vegetarian and vegan options. Chef Rickie’s diverse culinary background and experience truly shines through in the food she prepares, in her own words, “with love”. Now a mother and post-partum heart failure survivor, she doesn't believe in excuses or slowing down. "As long as I'm thriving and my business is thriving, nothing stops this show!" -Chef Rickie