SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A professional kitchen can be a tough place, but chefs Kelston Moore and Quinnton Austin are crafting up a new recipe to support Black chefs in San Diego.
"When chef Q met me, you know, we came with an idea because we didn't find that brotherhood out here,” Moore said.
"In my mind, instead of complaining about the lack of culture, I just wanted to create it,” Austin said.
The two seasoned chefs created a group called the Bad Boyz of Culinary to do just that.
"The hope and goal of this organization is to provide scholarships to other chefs. You know, other teenagers who don't have anywhere or don't want to decide to go to school just yet,” Moore said. “Also provide mentoring. Doing events like the one we are doing here tonight."
Monday event was held to help bolster the notoriety of up-and-coming chefs in a cooking competition similar to the popular TV show "Chopped."
"There's a lot of people, like I said, that want to do it but they just don't know how. So that's what we're here for. We're going to give you the real about it,” Austin said. "And if this is what you want to do, we're going to set you on the right track."
Some new chefs like Sheridan Street give this competition and the group's mission the proverbial chef's kiss.
"I think it's great for the community. I think being an African-American woman it's great to be highlighted and to be showcased,” Street said.
There's hope more Black chefs embrace the heat of the kitchen with the mentorship and resources cooked up by the Bad Boyz of Culinary.
"You're easier to give up when you feel like you're alone. When you have somebody that's pushing you or somebody that you can call to ask these questions, you can do a whole lot more when you have somebody supporting you. That's all we want to do," Moore said.
Moore said that there’s hope to make the cooking competition event an annual event and expand their efforts to other states.
