On the show today, I have Nate Turner, the executive chef and owner of Your Custom Catering. He has been named one of “Charlotte’s Best Caterers” for two years consecutively. He is also an incredible human being who has dedicated a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money toward feeding the homeless community in Charlotte building up an amazing Food Pantry. His kindness and heart is what makes him so loved by the people close to him and as a successful entrepreneur and amazing chef, he is what we would call in baseball a 5 tool player.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What it is like growing up as a black man in the USA
• How he developed such a high level of self-esteem and confidence
• How pervasive racism is in the US today and what we can do to make a difference
• His passion for taking care of the underserved in our community
• How old he was when he realized he was gay
• And much much more.

He is a native of Maryland, but moved to Charlotte three days after his high school graduation to pursue his degree in culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University. He received his Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University in 2008. Upon graduation, he continued to manage restaurants and hospitality along with offering private chef services in the Charlotte metro area.

In 2012, he opened Your Custom Catering & Events, a full-service catering and events firm. His idea was to offer catering and event management to those who were priced out of the big-name competitors within the industry. Following his first open tasting, which was attended by more than three hundred potential clients, his calendar quickly filled. Five years later, with more than twenty employees and the ability to cater events for 500+ guests, he is considered one of the best in Charlotte. His company has consistently received the Spectrum Customer Service Award for three years as well. Nattiel prides himself in a client centered approach to catering and event management and maintains an “A+ Rating” and is an Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau and is listed as an accredited business in the North Carolina.

In addition to his culinary prowess, he is also very involved in his community. His philanthropic beneficiaries include the Charlotte Men’s Shelter, Time Out Youth, Urban Ministry, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and The Relatives. In 2017, Nate was honored as one of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce’s 30 Under 30 for his entrepreneurial success and what he has given to the Charlotte community through his business, activism and volunteerism.

Nate is awesome and you guys are going to love him.