This week’s guest is Dominique Tolbert, entrepreneur and owner of TLBRT Hospitality & Mesean Spices. Dominique grew up in Maryland in a Liberian household, being introduced to the flavors of West African and Caribbean cuisine early on. Since then, her travels have taken her throughout the US and around the world, allowing her to explore and experience the cuisines of many cultures.

The art of bringing food and people together started when hosting Sunday Dinner parties for friends in New York City, giving them the opportunity to be some of Dominique's first and favorite food critics to date. These experiences have ultimately served as a model for today and future business to come.

Dominique holds a degree in Hotel & Tourism Management from NYU, has experience as a restaurant manager with MGM Resorts in Las Vegas, as a cook with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, working her way around the kitchen on multiple stations, and now as a business owner. She currently owns TLBRT Hospitality, a catering and events company, and Mesean Spices, a company that creates spice blends inspired by the African Diaspora.

She is also a full-time MBA student at George Washington University in DC and has most recently completed GW's Summer Start-Up Accelerator for entrepreneurs.

Find Dominique & her businesses online:

www.tlbrthospitality.com (and Facebook, Instagram)

www.meseanspices.com (and Facebook, Instagram) www.linkedin.com/dominique-tolbert

Clarification Note:

When talking about the Liberian dish, ""torborgee,"" there are two types: beans torborgee and torborgee made with kittley and bitter ball. Dominique misspoke and said it was made with okra.

Photo Courtesy of Dominique Tolbert / Rian Watkins

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