Chef Lisa Shaw traces her journey from a food-loving childhood split between Brooklyn and coastal South Carolina to a Wall Street career she ultimately abandoned after 9/11. She explains how emancipation at 16, mentorship from a local nonprofit, and her Christian faith broke generational trauma and set her on a culinary path. After culinary school—and two children—Lisa found the restaurant scene hostile to women, so she pivoted into corporate food service, then launched Lisa’s Boutique Catering in Chicago just before COVID-19. The conversation dives into holistic health after losing her mother to heart disease, practical ways to cook flavorful low-sodium meals in food deserts, strategies for keeping a catering business afloat during the pandemic, and the power of redemption, grace, and community. Throughout, Lisa offers actionable tips for healthy eating, entrepreneurship, and partnering with local communities through food education.

Connect with Chef Lisa

Website & catering inquiries: [email protected]

lisasboutiquecatering.com

Instagram: @LisasBoutiqueCatering