August 25, 2023 • 29 mins
On today's episode, I am excited to introduce you to Chef Terrell James Jabbarr...an award winning Chef who is also a Trainer for the Clayton County Public School System. He can now add author to his title with his upcoming book " Squash the Beef" and Accept Your Path & Purpose" set to be released in October. Chef Terrell's story is layered in talent, wisdom and inspiration.
Enjoying this podcast by theheadwrapsocialite….Like, follow and share! Comment below to keep the conversation going.
IG: theheadwrapsocialite
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good afternoon and welcome to everybody.
The podcast which sharesstories that highlight people in
life, that make the world aninteresting place, which
ultimately ties us all togetherin unique and wonderful ways.
And who am I, you might ask.
I would be the headwrappedsocialite Weith mom,
(00:23):
micro-influencer in the fashionand etiquette world, but on this
podcast I will be introducingyou to some people who I've had
the opportunity to meet along myjourney, who have helped enrich
me in my life in beautiful waysand who I hope will do the same
in yours.
(00:44):
On today's episode, I have theimmense pleasure of introducing
a friend from my college years,Chef Terrell James DeVar.
When we first met, I rememberwhen I would see him around
campus and he would always offerme a hellosus and great
conversation, and from there, Ibelieve, our friendship was born
(01:06):
.
Chef Terrell is a proud memberof the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity
and over the years, one thing Iwould like to say about
friendship is the threads offriendship that we have have
remained unbroken, and to me, afriend is someone who, even if
you haven't spoken to them inyears, when you do speak you can
(01:27):
pick up as if no time haspassed.
It's been forever since ourcollege days, but I am really
looking forward to today'sconversation, Because not only
is Terrell a chef and trainerfor Clayton County Public
Schools, he has also justwritten a book titled Squash the
(01:47):
Bee and Accept your Path andPurpose, which launches in
October, A title that invitescuriosity and promises wisdom.
But for more on that we shallpatiently wait and let the pages
of the book speak to us lateron in this episode.
So, without further ado, pleaseextend and help me extend the
(02:11):
warmest welcome to my friendChef Terrell Terrell.
Thank you for being here todayon this episode.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
You know what Appreciate you for even thinking
of me.
So thank you much, thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Absolutely.
Chef Terrell, can you pleasetell the listeners a little bit
about who you are?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Okay, Well, I'm an award-winning chef and trainer
who trained nearly 600 schoolnutrition staff and managers
annually on kitchen skills,leadership, hospitality,
professional growth anddevelopment.
Obviously, of course.
As you mentioned, I'm analumnus at Johnson Welch
University.
Now I reside in Riverdale,Georgia.
(02:47):
When I'm not training, I assistin developing trendy and
healthy menu items for my schooldistrict, which serves 50,000
students and with the fifthlargest county in Georgia.
So that's much to applaud.
Well, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So, terrell, how long have you been a chef for?
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well, I would like to say almost 30 years.
I graduated in Johnson Welch in1992.
And prior to that I actuallywas in culinary arts.
In high school my brothersuggested that I go there and
take up culinary arts because wewas hungry children and taking
up culinary arts we would beable to eat.
And so I took up culinary arts,not because I had a passion for
(03:32):
cooking, but I was just ahungry child and I just wanted
to eat.
I had no clue that you can geta scholarship to Johnson Welch
University and I was able to geta full scholarship.
He wanted to find the schoolsfor culinary arts.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Wow, and in order to become a chef, like, how many
hours does it take?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
You don't have to go to school to be a chef.
You know, if you just sit nextto your grandma or your mom
while they're cooking and youlearn, then you're cooking.
Classify yourself as a chef.
You can also go to restaurantsand start off in the dish room
and grow from there.
So I won't say it's an amountof hours per se, it's just
(04:15):
dedication.
Is it your passion?
How far do you want to go?
But again, grandma teaches youso much stuff in the kitchen
that even a five-star chef couldnot compare to a grandma and
mom can do.
I call them chefs as well.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
I love it.
I love it.
You just mentioned you have tohave a passion for it, and the
culinary world itself iscreative.
How has the creativity and howhas your passion?
How have you made that anintegral part of your life?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Well, my upbringing we was pretty much scrapping for
food.
We didn't have much, mom donethe best she could, and so,
working in the school system, Isee a lot of students that I
know haven't eaten a nightbefore.
How do I know?
Because I see the scars, I wearthe scars.
I see them, I know them becauseI know myself.
(05:12):
I know that I was a starvingchild and how I acted and
behaved.
So to be able to see this childwho's really not advertising,
it is just I'm able to see this,my God's great.
But I'm able to serve thatchild and embrace that child and
that child understands that.
I understand why?
Because we wear the same scarsand that's one of the passions
(05:34):
that I have in work with theschool system.
It bridges my upbringing toserving students.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
And that's beautiful.
And I was thinking about howyou said that you wear the scars
and that you could recognize insomebody else's pain and
recognize in their being whetheror not they ate the night
before.
And I thought to myself whenyou were telling me that how
acutely aware you must be,because there are some people
(06:04):
who had that experience and thenthey push it to the back, to
the back of their beings, andthey put it in a little room,
close a little door, and theydon't think about it again
because it is too painful.
But you've taken that pain andyou are able to help really
nourish somebody else and uplifttheir spirit and I just think
that's really beautiful, thankyou, thank you.
(06:27):
I would like to ask you whathave been your favorite dish to
cook for the students.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Wow, I've never been asked that I would say fresh
collard greens.
Oh, and the reason why I saythat is because traditionally
you think of school lunch, themilk and square pizza and the
corn and yes, basically you havethat.
But whenever I can come up withcollard greens and do this,
(07:02):
take to it because they don'teat vegetables.
I pretty much have to marketand advertise just to get them
to eat vegetables.
They just don't like eatingvegetables at that age.
But when they smell thosecollards and it's authentic
collards, because in the schoolsystem we try to be authentic
and try to match mom's cookingExactly, but with the collard
(07:25):
greens it hit the students, wasreally gone after them,
especially with the potluck andyou know that little juice that
comes with it.
So that was really surprisingto have them eat the vegetables,
the collard greens at that time.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
When you cook the collard greens, like do you?
Or when you cook just schoollunch in general, are you able
to partner with local farms inthe area or local supermarkets
Like where do you get your freshproduce from?
And basic, just the food from?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Yeah, that is encouraged.
Farm to table our producevendor is a local vendor that we
use.
That's encouraged.
One of the programs we have isBuy America, where the food
items we purchase it must comefrom America.
Now there's some exceptions, ofcourse, like bananas and some
(08:18):
things like that, right, but itis encouraged to order from the
local farmers.
You get good product.
Of course, economically ithelps and it's safe, especially
if there's a recall, we knowexactly where to go to.
I like that.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So your journey from college to becoming a chef and
my author, Chef Terrell, yourbook Squash the Beef and accept
your path and purpose.
Can you share with us theinspiration behind this and how
it relates to the concept ofaccepting one's path?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
An old wise gentleman said to me one time.
He said no child is ever wise.
It's not until that child gothrough a multiple experiences
in life and you can tie all yourexperiences into one story and
you turn back to the nextgeneration and you tell your
story, Then that man is wise.
(09:15):
And so, as I was in the schoolsystem, I noticed that I was
always given back to thechildren that resemble me the
most in terms of being a hungrychild and the book I call it
Angry, where they're angrybecause they're hungry and they
(09:38):
act out.
And so I was always amongstthose students.
One of the things I share in thebook squash the beef is that my
first assignment was to servethe EBD students, that's,
emotionally behavior disorderstudents and every time I got a
(09:59):
promotion or went to anotherlocation just so ironically,
they will close down thatemotionally behavior disorder
class and they were relocated,and it was always been relocated
to where I was at.
Wow, and it dawned on me thatwas my purpose.
Positions were always to bedone in a very, very good way
and you can have anunderstanding of what it was
like.
(10:19):
That's when I said okay, I knowmy purpose, even though I
really never had a passion forcooking.
I had a passion to serve theseparticular students and I could
not outrun them.
They were in my path and sothat's when I said it's time to
(10:40):
write about this.
It's just, it's my life and Icouldn't run away from it.
You said, sometimes we put ourpain in the back of our mind and
we hide it, and doing so youstop your story and that's where
a lot of that pain simmers.
And then we always startquestioning and God, what is our
(11:01):
purpose?
And your purpose doesn't startwhen you go to college, it
starts when you're born and allof the traumas you go through,
everything you go through.
That's your assignment and youhave to.
When I say squash the beef, itmeans squash the beef is an old
hip hop term, since it's the 50year anniversary of hip hop.
(11:24):
Squash the beef is a hip hopterm meaning to put aside your
differences, unite and moveforward.
And so most of the beef I hadwas with God.
I would beef with God.
Why this, why that, why this?
I would beef with the creator.
(11:44):
I'll beef with friends andcoworkers, because I was just
upset that I was not fulfillingany goals.
And so when that pain is.
You pointed out.
You put that into the forefront.
You realize that's part of yourassignment.
So squash the beef and move onto your path and your purpose.
(12:07):
And I think and I know that asan author this book isn't your
average cookbook.
It's more, much more artfullywritten.
It's engaging.
It's a collection of recipesand home spun wisdom.
You find recipes, techniques,how to from the kitchen, but
(12:30):
also valuable life lessons andrelationship skills.
It's the reader will reallyenjoy it.
Squash the beef.
It serves up a recipe for life.
That's all heart.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Terrell, you graciously shared excerpts from
your upcoming book, and in yourbook you emphasize the
importance of putting God firstin our journeys, and could you
tell us about a personalexperience that highlighted this
principle and shaped yourperspective?
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yes, when I first joined the school system they
didn't have anythingposition-wise in the cafeteria.
So they offered me a positionas a substitute teacher and my
first son I took it.
I said okay, great.
Before I accepted that positionand if readers read the book, I
(13:25):
was unemployed for a while andI was trying to regroup and at
this time I took that particularposition.
And those students, theemotionally behavior disorder
students they were loud and as ateacher or a faculty member we
could not yell back Having myupbringing to engage those
(13:50):
particular students.
See, a student is not a fool.
They know if you are sincere orif it's a paycheck and if you
are there just for a paycheck,there goes the beef.
They gonna beef with you.
Right, it's gonna be all beef,cause they know you don't really
(14:11):
dig me, you don't, you're nothere for me.
But when I was able to havethem listen to me and there was
no beef between us, because Isquashed the beef with genuine
love, because, as I indicated, Iwore their scars, we squashed
the beef and they were like theexceptional students to me.
(14:32):
So as I moved from being a subto a cafeteria manager at that
time, every time I moved theywere there.
That was when I knew okay, thecreators, real, this is my
assignment.
Before that, before that sub, Iwas actually literally selling
(14:52):
final calls and being pausedalong with the nation of Islam.
That's all in the book, it'sexciting.
And I wasn't making that muchmoney.
And I remember the creator.
I had spoken to me and said whyare you upset at the $11 that
you have in your pocket when youhave a degree in culinary arts?
(15:13):
And at that moment I realized Ididn't wanna be like that
foolish person who buried theirtalents Right.
And God pretty much chastisedthat person and I said let me
get back in.
And that's when I knew it wasmy journey, it was my assignment
, that's how I knew and I'mexcited to share that.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
I would like to say thank you always for sharing
your story.
Your faith I have seen the waythat you talk shines through.
Can you share how yourrelationship with God has
influenced your culinarypursuits and your journey as an
author?
How have you seen your careerpath change?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Well, the exciting thing is jello.
I talk about jello in the bookand you know, with jello it's a
timing thing.
You wanna gel, you wanna putthe fruit in the jello, but you
have to make sure that is justright before you put that fruit
in there.
And so the thing I take fromjello is that when you're first
(16:22):
starting with a relationship ofany kind, you don't wanna go in
there and just divulgeeverything, just like adding
fruit to jello.
The relationship is not strongenough yet to withhold all of
that.
But see on that same thing withthe jello.
If you are good at having thefruit in the jello and it's all
(16:45):
there.
I say that one of the thingsthat I say.
In squash the beef, I said youhave to be careful of what you
say.
God used words to create theheavens and the earth.
He said let there be.
So words are powerful.
And so what I say is that onceyou say negative words to your
(17:05):
child or to your mate, thosewords are like fruit in jello
it's sealed in their heart.
It's sealed there.
If you apologize to them andsay I didn't mean to say that
it's too late, those words arestill embedded inside them.
And I say in the book, tryingto get those words back from
(17:28):
their heart, or that's theirpsychic.
It's like trying to get fruitout of jello without damaging
the jello mode.
It's impossible.
Those words are there, and soit's gently faith flavored, I
like to say, and the lifelessons imparted, for plenty of
food for thought.
That talks of wisdom.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
You know, in the world that we live in, it's so
often focused on comparison andcompetition.
How does your book guidereaders towards embracing their
individual journeys and avoidingthe traps of self-doubt, like
being stuck in honey?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Oh, wow, exceptional question.
There's so many stories in thebook.
One of the stories is my son,who was born in Rhode Island
when he was on campus and hehave a disability and he could
not find work.
From 1670, he could not findwork.
(18:28):
No one wanted to take a chance,and so one job took a chance on
.
It was just this independent CDplace that he burned CDs.
Anyway, this young man was ableto take that business and this
was when CDs were on a decline.
The business was folding and myson asked the owner before you
close the doors, let me revampthis into a digital and they
(18:52):
done that and this is clearly inthe book and the rest is
history.
He made a fortune off of this.
He makes a fortune off of hisinfluence on the internet.
He didn't have to work.
He really done well for himself.
He was bullied in high schooland teasing his office, like now
that he's really wealthy, byGod's permission.
(19:14):
If you stop being jealous longenough, if I can do it for him,
I can do it for you.
Right, and that's where it allworks.
If we stop looking at otherpeople and being jealous of what
they're doing, we're missingthe story of yourself and the
(19:36):
story that is in everybody'slife.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
And what's beautiful, too, is everybody's story and
everybody's journey.
All have something beautiful,unique and wonderful to add to
the overall story.
Can you tell us more, becauseI'm intrigued when we're in
college and I like that you'reso open and so forthcoming and
sharing your story with us.
How did you manage college withhaving a baby?
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Wow, you know, with my son.
We didn't hold him for a wholeyear because he was born in
women and infants and he caughtbacteria death, lacoccus aureus,
and he was deaf and went here.
So we didn't even hold himbecause he was in the hospital.
How I got through, I don't know, but here was one thing because
(20:26):
I didn't have a father, Iwanted to be one, I wanted to be
a good one, and so that desireof wanting to be a good father
because I didn't have onegrowing up, led me to say I want
to be a father.
God, and I remember that was, Iguess, inspiration to want to
(20:48):
do that because I wanted to be agood father.
It was the strength of God thatkept me, wanting to be there
and engage just prayer.
All praises to the Creator, toGod.
He was the strength.
And again, jamil has afantastic mother too.
She didn't miss her assignmentas well.
So, yeah, it worked itself out,and faith it always do.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you for sharing that, andI mean you have such a unique
story.
I know that your story is goingto help so many people and I
think that's a beauty of sharingour stories, because for a long
time and this is to go back andjust do a quick shameless plug
again, but it is it's sometimeslike we think our stories are
(21:34):
just for ourselves in it.
But I really think if we talkabout and if we share stories
with one another, I think we'reable to see that we each are
called for a specific purpose.
Whether or not we willrecognize the purpose within the
next year, two years, five, 10years, but we do have a purpose
and I think we have to be openand willing to be open to that
(22:00):
purpose.
But sometimes we don'trecognize that because we go
through the motions right, we gothrough the motions on a daily
basis.
But when we hear other peopletalk about it, it starts to make
you ponder what is my purposein this life?
And to go back to your book, notonly does it have a place for
God's word, what I immediatelyfelt connected to when I saw the
(22:24):
excerpts, for I had plans toprosper you plans to give you
hope in a future.
I love that.
I also looked at the book and Ithought to myself this would be
a great place to write downyour aspirations and dreams and
to use it as a journal as well,and to take the recipes while
(22:45):
you are pondering your life'spurpose.
But there's so many differentways that this book, I know, is
going to be helpful to themasses and, honestly, I cannot
wait to see the response thatyou get back from this book,
because it is very powerful andI know it will connect a lot of
people to their purpose.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Thank you, sis.
You know that means a lotcoming from you.
It means a lot.
Yeah, we were what 18, 19?
And I saw your light.
I saw your light so it didshine and so I know I do, and I
know now and again I just thankyou.
Wow, and I don't know the words, but I thank you for this to be
(23:29):
able to sit down with you anddialogue on these.
It's not too often you candialogue with certain subjects
like this, but when you can,it's fulfilling.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I agree.
You know it was looking forwardto this conversation.
You know we haven't spoken.
You know we've seen each otheron Facebook and connected
through Facebook, but to talk,talk, you know who would have
known those 18 year old kids whoyou know were walking through.
You know the yard.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Living life right.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Yeah, exactly yeah.
We go on to get married andhave children and life.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
Yeah, and still stay connected.
I just think you know, by thegrace of God, it's everybody
that he puts in our path.
I was just talking to a friendearlier today.
It's like everybody that heputs in our path has a purpose.
You know on our life andhopefully you know that purpose
and a lot of times that thatpurpose is.
It helps you unlock somethingyou know deep within yourself
(24:31):
that maybe you didn't see orthat he's like okay, I need you,
I need you to understand thistoday.
So you know this is your friendwho is going to help you on
this journey.
Before we close, you know Ihave a million and one questions
.
I've written a million and onethings down, but I would like to
also ask you, as someone whohas explored, you know, culinary
(24:53):
arts and been in that scienceand writing, what message do you
hope that the readers take awayfrom your book to enrich their
lives and their walk with God?
Speaker 2 (25:05):
You said it clearly Hope, hope, hope or cousins, and
we are in a world where peopleare losing hope and once you
lose hope and you lose faith,man want this book to
reestablish hope and faith inGod and God alone.
(25:27):
That is going to be theassignment of this book.
I don't know where it's gonnago, but that's where I will hope
it goes to reestablish faithand hope.
When you asked me earlier, howdid I get by, how do I endure?
It's just with the creator.
So that's what I pray, that'swhat I hope that readers will
(25:51):
take with this book.
Shock that after many years, wecan still hit it off the way it
is, because you know a goodslow cooked meal if it's a
homemade meal.
When it goes cold or is thenext day, you can reheat that
(26:11):
home cooked meal and it won'tlose any of its quality and in
fact, the flavors are going tobe more seasoned than ever
before.
So as we go through life, eventhough we haven't seen each
other or talked that many years,it picks off what we left off,
because it's a genuine homecooked relationship and the
(26:37):
season we're more seasoned now.
We're more seasoned, moredeveloped For sure.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Yeah, and so I agree with you on that and I like the
way you put that my friend.
But I would like to say, as wedraw this episode to a close, I
find myself, I have beenenlightened, immersed in the
wisdom and inspiration thatyou've shared, chef, and I would
like to also say that you havea gift.
(27:07):
You have an insight which wasbeautifully stated in the pages
of your upcoming book, squashthe Beef, and Accept your Path
and Purpose.
Through today's conversation,I'm understanding that Squash
the Beef isn't just a book.
It's a guiding light of selfdiscovery, acceptance and how to
(27:29):
find one's purpose.
I also will tell you thatthrough our conversation today,
I see your unwavering faith inGod.
I hear it in your voice.
God serves as your compass andit steered you towards a deeper
calling for yourself and fromyour culinary endeavors to this
(27:52):
new venture.
In writing.
Chef Terrell's Experiences abeautiful testament to finding
out what fuels us and pushes usforward in this thing called
life.
We are reminded also, I think,that each step that we take, no
matter how small they can seemat the time, can lead us towards
revelations and an enormousamount of transformation.
(28:14):
So the concept, I think, isbeautiful of Squash the Beef
because it's multi-dimensionaland I cannot wait to read the
full book and implement that inmy life and to also cook some
really cool recipes.
Your relationship with Godmakes my heart sing.
From my heart to yours, I justwanna say thank you so much for
(28:38):
being a part of this episode.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Thank you, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I'm happy as a clam.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
And you're welcome here at any time and when your
book launches, we'll have to puta social media blast out Like
the book is here.
Get your book, because they aregonna sell out fast.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Can I get a signed copy?
Speaker 1 (29:04):
Certainly of course I would like a signed copy.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
You don't even have to ask that, of course Sign
filled and delivered.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
I will tell you since , okay, the episode has
concluded.
You're amazing, son.
He's this TikTok extraordinary.
Can I tell you?
My kids know your son fromTikTok.
They're like yeah, yeah,seriously, and this is my son is
a sneakerhead and he does hissneakers and my son was like you
(29:33):
don't know his dad.
I was like no, we went tocollege together.
Yeah, like really.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Yeah, wow.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Yeah, it's a small pink world.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He gonna be tickled when Imention that yeah, you did.
Yeah, that is wow.
Good afternoon and welcome to everybody.
The podcast which sharesstories that highlight people in
life, that make the world aninteresting place, which
ultimately ties us all togetherin unique and wonderful ways.
And who am I, you might ask.
I would be the headwrappedsocialite Weith mom,
(00:23):
micro-influencer in the fashionand etiquette world, but on this
podcast I will be introducingyou to some people who I've had
the opportunity to meet along myjourney, who have helped enrich
me in my life in beautiful waysand who I hope will do the same
in yours.
(00:44):
On today's episode, I have theimmense pleasure of introducing
a friend from my college years,Chef Terrell James DeVar.
When we first met, I rememberwhen I would see him around
campus and he would always offerme a hellosus and great
conversation, and from there, Ibelieve, our friendship was born
(01:06):
.
Chef Terrell is a proud memberof the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity
and over the years, one thing Iwould like to say about
friendship is the threads offriendship that we have have
remained unbroken, and to me, afriend is someone who, even if
you haven't spoken to them inyears, when you do speak you can
(01:27):
pick up as if no time haspassed.
It's been forever since ourcollege days, but I am really
looking forward to today'sconversation, Because not only
is Terrell a chef and trainerfor Clayton County Public
Schools, he has also justwritten a book titled Squash the
(01:47):
Bee and Accept your Path andPurpose, which launches in
October, A title that invitescuriosity and promises wisdom.
But for more on that we shallpatiently wait and let the pages
of the book speak to us lateron in this episode.
So, without further ado, pleaseextend and help me extend the
(02:11):
warmest welcome to my friendChef Terrell Terrell.
Thank you for being here todayon this episode.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
You know what Appreciate you for even thinking
of me.
So thank you much, thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Absolutely.
Chef Terrell, can you pleasetell the listeners a little bit
about who you are?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Okay, Well, I'm an award-winning chef and trainer
who trained nearly 600 schoolnutrition staff and managers
annually on kitchen skills,leadership, hospitality,
professional growth anddevelopment.
Obviously, of course.
As you mentioned, I'm analumnus at Johnson Welch
University.
Now I reside in Riverdale,Georgia.
(02:47):
When I'm not training, I assistin developing trendy and
healthy menu items for my schooldistrict, which serves 50,000
students and with the fifthlargest county in Georgia.
So that's much to applaud.
Well, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So, terrell, how long have you been a chef for?
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well, I would like to say almost 30 years.
I graduated in Johnson Welch in1992.
And prior to that I actuallywas in culinary arts.
In high school my brothersuggested that I go there and
take up culinary arts because wewas hungry children and taking
up culinary arts we would beable to eat.
And so I took up culinary arts,not because I had a passion for
(03:32):
cooking, but I was just ahungry child and I just wanted
to eat.
I had no clue that you can geta scholarship to Johnson Welch
University and I was able to geta full scholarship.
He wanted to find the schoolsfor culinary arts.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Wow, and in order to become a chef, like, how many
hours does it take?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
You don't have to go to school to be a chef.
You know, if you just sit nextto your grandma or your mom
while they're cooking and youlearn, then you're cooking.
Classify yourself as a chef.
You can also go to restaurantsand start off in the dish room
and grow from there.
So I won't say it's an amountof hours per se, it's just
(04:15):
dedication.
Is it your passion?
How far do you want to go?
But again, grandma teaches youso much stuff in the kitchen
that even a five-star chef couldnot compare to a grandma and
mom can do.
I call them chefs as well.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
I love it.
I love it.
You just mentioned you have tohave a passion for it, and the
culinary world itself iscreative.
How has the creativity and howhas your passion?
How have you made that anintegral part of your life?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Well, my upbringing we was pretty much scrapping for
food.
We didn't have much, mom donethe best she could, and so,
working in the school system, Isee a lot of students that I
know haven't eaten a nightbefore.
How do I know?
Because I see the scars, I wearthe scars.
I see them, I know them becauseI know myself.
(05:12):
I know that I was a starvingchild and how I acted and
behaved.
So to be able to see this childwho's really not advertising,
it is just I'm able to see this,my God's great.
But I'm able to serve thatchild and embrace that child and
that child understands that.
I understand why?
Because we wear the same scarsand that's one of the passions
(05:34):
that I have in work with theschool system.
It bridges my upbringing toserving students.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
And that's beautiful.
And I was thinking about howyou said that you wear the scars
and that you could recognize insomebody else's pain and
recognize in their being whetheror not they ate the night
before.
And I thought to myself whenyou were telling me that how
acutely aware you must be,because there are some people
(06:04):
who had that experience and thenthey push it to the back, to
the back of their beings, andthey put it in a little room,
close a little door, and theydon't think about it again
because it is too painful.
But you've taken that pain andyou are able to help really
nourish somebody else and uplifttheir spirit and I just think
that's really beautiful, thankyou, thank you.
(06:27):
I would like to ask you whathave been your favorite dish to
cook for the students.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Wow, I've never been asked that I would say fresh
collard greens.
Oh, and the reason why I saythat is because traditionally
you think of school lunch, themilk and square pizza and the
corn and yes, basically you havethat.
But whenever I can come up withcollard greens and do this,
(07:02):
take to it because they don'teat vegetables.
I pretty much have to marketand advertise just to get them
to eat vegetables.
They just don't like eatingvegetables at that age.
But when they smell thosecollards and it's authentic
collards, because in the schoolsystem we try to be authentic
and try to match mom's cookingExactly, but with the collard
(07:25):
greens it hit the students, wasreally gone after them,
especially with the potluck andyou know that little juice that
comes with it.
So that was really surprisingto have them eat the vegetables,
the collard greens at that time.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
When you cook the collard greens, like do you?
Or when you cook just schoollunch in general, are you able
to partner with local farms inthe area or local supermarkets
Like where do you get your freshproduce from?
And basic, just the food from?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Yeah, that is encouraged.
Farm to table our producevendor is a local vendor that we
use.
That's encouraged.
One of the programs we have isBuy America, where the food
items we purchase it must comefrom America.
Now there's some exceptions, ofcourse, like bananas and some
(08:18):
things like that, right, but itis encouraged to order from the
local farmers.
You get good product.
Of course, economically ithelps and it's safe, especially
if there's a recall, we knowexactly where to go to.
I like that.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So your journey from college to becoming a chef and
my author, Chef Terrell, yourbook Squash the Beef and accept
your path and purpose.
Can you share with us theinspiration behind this and how
it relates to the concept ofaccepting one's path?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
An old wise gentleman said to me one time.
He said no child is ever wise.
It's not until that child gothrough a multiple experiences
in life and you can tie all yourexperiences into one story and
you turn back to the nextgeneration and you tell your
story, Then that man is wise.
(09:15):
And so, as I was in the schoolsystem, I noticed that I was
always given back to thechildren that resemble me the
most in terms of being a hungrychild and the book I call it
Angry, where they're angrybecause they're hungry and they
(09:38):
act out.
And so I was always amongstthose students.
One of the things I share in thebook squash the beef is that my
first assignment was to servethe EBD students, that's,
emotionally behavior disorderstudents and every time I got a
(09:59):
promotion or went to anotherlocation just so ironically,
they will close down thatemotionally behavior disorder
class and they were relocated,and it was always been relocated
to where I was at.
Wow, and it dawned on me thatwas my purpose.
Positions were always to bedone in a very, very good way
and you can have anunderstanding of what it was
like.
(10:19):
That's when I said okay, I knowmy purpose, even though I
really never had a passion forcooking.
I had a passion to serve theseparticular students and I could
not outrun them.
They were in my path and sothat's when I said it's time to
(10:40):
write about this.
It's just, it's my life and Icouldn't run away from it.
You said, sometimes we put ourpain in the back of our mind and
we hide it, and doing so youstop your story and that's where
a lot of that pain simmers.
And then we always startquestioning and God, what is our
(11:01):
purpose?
And your purpose doesn't startwhen you go to college, it
starts when you're born and allof the traumas you go through,
everything you go through.
That's your assignment and youhave to.
When I say squash the beef, itmeans squash the beef is an old
hip hop term, since it's the 50year anniversary of hip hop.
(11:24):
Squash the beef is a hip hopterm meaning to put aside your
differences, unite and moveforward.
And so most of the beef I hadwas with God.
I would beef with God.
Why this, why that, why this?
I would beef with the creator.
(11:44):
I'll beef with friends andcoworkers, because I was just
upset that I was not fulfillingany goals.
And so when that pain is.
You pointed out.
You put that into the forefront.
You realize that's part of yourassignment.
So squash the beef and move onto your path and your purpose.
(12:07):
And I think and I know that asan author this book isn't your
average cookbook.
It's more, much more artfullywritten.
It's engaging.
It's a collection of recipesand home spun wisdom.
You find recipes, techniques,how to from the kitchen, but
(12:30):
also valuable life lessons andrelationship skills.
It's the reader will reallyenjoy it.
Squash the beef.
It serves up a recipe for life.
That's all heart.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Terrell, you graciously shared excerpts from
your upcoming book, and in yourbook you emphasize the
importance of putting God firstin our journeys, and could you
tell us about a personalexperience that highlighted this
principle and shaped yourperspective?
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yes, when I first joined the school system they
didn't have anythingposition-wise in the cafeteria.
So they offered me a positionas a substitute teacher and my
first son I took it.
I said okay, great.
Before I accepted that positionand if readers read the book, I
(13:25):
was unemployed for a while andI was trying to regroup and at
this time I took that particularposition.
And those students, theemotionally behavior disorder
students they were loud and as ateacher or a faculty member we
could not yell back Having myupbringing to engage those
(13:50):
particular students.
See, a student is not a fool.
They know if you are sincere orif it's a paycheck and if you
are there just for a paycheck,there goes the beef.
They gonna beef with you.
Right, it's gonna be all beef,cause they know you don't really
(14:11):
dig me, you don't, you're nothere for me.
But when I was able to havethem listen to me and there was
no beef between us, because Isquashed the beef with genuine
love, because, as I indicated, Iwore their scars, we squashed
the beef and they were like theexceptional students to me.
(14:32):
So as I moved from being a subto a cafeteria manager at that
time, every time I moved theywere there.
That was when I knew okay, thecreators, real, this is my
assignment.
Before that, before that sub, Iwas actually literally selling
(14:52):
final calls and being pausedalong with the nation of Islam.
That's all in the book, it'sexciting.
And I wasn't making that muchmoney.
And I remember the creator.
I had spoken to me and said whyare you upset at the $11 that
you have in your pocket when youhave a degree in culinary arts?
(15:13):
And at that moment I realized Ididn't wanna be like that
foolish person who buried theirtalents Right.
And God pretty much chastisedthat person and I said let me
get back in.
And that's when I knew it wasmy journey, it was my assignment
, that's how I knew and I'mexcited to share that.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
I would like to say thank you always for sharing
your story.
Your faith I have seen the waythat you talk shines through.
Can you share how yourrelationship with God has
influenced your culinarypursuits and your journey as an
author?
How have you seen your careerpath change?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Well, the exciting thing is jello.
I talk about jello in the bookand you know, with jello it's a
timing thing.
You wanna gel, you wanna putthe fruit in the jello, but you
have to make sure that is justright before you put that fruit
in there.
And so the thing I take fromjello is that when you're first
(16:22):
starting with a relationship ofany kind, you don't wanna go in
there and just divulgeeverything, just like adding
fruit to jello.
The relationship is not strongenough yet to withhold all of
that.
But see on that same thing withthe jello.
If you are good at having thefruit in the jello and it's all
(16:45):
there.
I say that one of the thingsthat I say.
In squash the beef, I said youhave to be careful of what you
say.
God used words to create theheavens and the earth.
He said let there be.
So words are powerful.
And so what I say is that onceyou say negative words to your
(17:05):
child or to your mate, thosewords are like fruit in jello
it's sealed in their heart.
It's sealed there.
If you apologize to them andsay I didn't mean to say that
it's too late, those words arestill embedded inside them.
And I say in the book, tryingto get those words back from
(17:28):
their heart, or that's theirpsychic.
It's like trying to get fruitout of jello without damaging
the jello mode.
It's impossible.
Those words are there, and soit's gently faith flavored, I
like to say, and the lifelessons imparted, for plenty of
food for thought.
That talks of wisdom.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
You know, in the world that we live in, it's so
often focused on comparison andcompetition.
How does your book guidereaders towards embracing their
individual journeys and avoidingthe traps of self-doubt, like
being stuck in honey?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Oh, wow, exceptional question.
There's so many stories in thebook.
One of the stories is my son,who was born in Rhode Island
when he was on campus and hehave a disability and he could
not find work.
From 1670, he could not findwork.
(18:28):
No one wanted to take a chance,and so one job took a chance on
.
It was just this independent CDplace that he burned CDs.
Anyway, this young man was ableto take that business and this
was when CDs were on a decline.
The business was folding and myson asked the owner before you
close the doors, let me revampthis into a digital and they
(18:52):
done that and this is clearly inthe book and the rest is
history.
He made a fortune off of this.
He makes a fortune off of hisinfluence on the internet.
He didn't have to work.
He really done well for himself.
He was bullied in high schooland teasing his office, like now
that he's really wealthy, byGod's permission.
(19:14):
If you stop being jealous longenough, if I can do it for him,
I can do it for you.
Right, and that's where it allworks.
If we stop looking at otherpeople and being jealous of what
they're doing, we're missingthe story of yourself and the
(19:36):
story that is in everybody'slife.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
And what's beautiful, too, is everybody's story and
everybody's journey.
All have something beautiful,unique and wonderful to add to
the overall story.
Can you tell us more, becauseI'm intrigued when we're in
college and I like that you'reso open and so forthcoming and
sharing your story with us.
How did you manage college withhaving a baby?
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Wow, you know, with my son.
We didn't hold him for a wholeyear because he was born in
women and infants and he caughtbacteria death, lacoccus aureus,
and he was deaf and went here.
So we didn't even hold himbecause he was in the hospital.
How I got through, I don't know, but here was one thing because
(20:26):
I didn't have a father, Iwanted to be one, I wanted to be
a good one, and so that desireof wanting to be a good father
because I didn't have onegrowing up, led me to say I want
to be a father.
God, and I remember that was, Iguess, inspiration to want to
(20:48):
do that because I wanted to be agood father.
It was the strength of God thatkept me, wanting to be there
and engage just prayer.
All praises to the Creator, toGod.
He was the strength.
And again, jamil has afantastic mother too.
She didn't miss her assignmentas well.
So, yeah, it worked itself out,and faith it always do.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you for sharing that, andI mean you have such a unique
story.
I know that your story is goingto help so many people and I
think that's a beauty of sharingour stories, because for a long
time and this is to go back andjust do a quick shameless plug
again, but it is it's sometimeslike we think our stories are
(21:34):
just for ourselves in it.
But I really think if we talkabout and if we share stories
with one another, I think we'reable to see that we each are
called for a specific purpose.
Whether or not we willrecognize the purpose within the
next year, two years, five, 10years, but we do have a purpose
and I think we have to be openand willing to be open to that
(22:00):
purpose.
But sometimes we don'trecognize that because we go
through the motions right, we gothrough the motions on a daily
basis.
But when we hear other peopletalk about it, it starts to make
you ponder what is my purposein this life?
And to go back to your book, notonly does it have a place for
God's word, what I immediatelyfelt connected to when I saw the
(22:24):
excerpts, for I had plans toprosper you plans to give you
hope in a future.
I love that.
I also looked at the book and Ithought to myself this would be
a great place to write downyour aspirations and dreams and
to use it as a journal as well,and to take the recipes while
(22:45):
you are pondering your life'spurpose.
But there's so many differentways that this book, I know, is
going to be helpful to themasses and, honestly, I cannot
wait to see the response thatyou get back from this book,
because it is very powerful andI know it will connect a lot of
people to their purpose.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Thank you, sis.
You know that means a lotcoming from you.
It means a lot.
Yeah, we were what 18, 19?
And I saw your light.
I saw your light so it didshine and so I know I do, and I
know now and again I just thankyou.
Wow, and I don't know the words, but I thank you for this to be
(23:29):
able to sit down with you anddialogue on these.
It's not too often you candialogue with certain subjects
like this, but when you can,it's fulfilling.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I agree.
You know it was looking forwardto this conversation.
You know we haven't spoken.
You know we've seen each otheron Facebook and connected
through Facebook, but to talk,talk, you know who would have
known those 18 year old kids whoyou know were walking through.
You know the yard.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Living life right.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Yeah, exactly yeah.
We go on to get married andhave children and life.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
Yeah, and still stay connected.
I just think you know, by thegrace of God, it's everybody
that he puts in our path.
I was just talking to a friendearlier today.
It's like everybody that heputs in our path has a purpose.
You know on our life andhopefully you know that purpose
and a lot of times that thatpurpose is.
It helps you unlock somethingyou know deep within yourself
(24:31):
that maybe you didn't see orthat he's like okay, I need you,
I need you to understand thistoday.
So you know this is your friendwho is going to help you on
this journey.
Before we close, you know Ihave a million and one questions
.
I've written a million and onethings down, but I would like to
also ask you, as someone whohas explored, you know, culinary
(24:53):
arts and been in that scienceand writing, what message do you
hope that the readers take awayfrom your book to enrich their
lives and their walk with God?
Speaker 2 (25:05):
You said it clearly Hope, hope, hope or cousins, and
we are in a world where peopleare losing hope and once you
lose hope and you lose faith,man want this book to
reestablish hope and faith inGod and God alone.
(25:27):
That is going to be theassignment of this book.
I don't know where it's gonnago, but that's where I will hope
it goes to reestablish faithand hope.
When you asked me earlier, howdid I get by, how do I endure?
It's just with the creator.
So that's what I pray, that'swhat I hope that readers will
(25:51):
take with this book.
Shock that after many years, wecan still hit it off the way it
is, because you know a goodslow cooked meal if it's a
homemade meal.
When it goes cold or is thenext day, you can reheat that
(26:11):
home cooked meal and it won'tlose any of its quality and in
fact, the flavors are going tobe more seasoned than ever
before.
So as we go through life, eventhough we haven't seen each
other or talked that many years,it picks off what we left off,
because it's a genuine homecooked relationship and the
(26:37):
season we're more seasoned now.
We're more seasoned, moredeveloped For sure.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Yeah, and so I agree with you on that and I like the
way you put that my friend.
But I would like to say, as wedraw this episode to a close, I
find myself, I have beenenlightened, immersed in the
wisdom and inspiration thatyou've shared, chef, and I would
like to also say that you havea gift.
(27:07):
You have an insight which wasbeautifully stated in the pages
of your upcoming book, squashthe Beef, and Accept your Path
and Purpose.
Through today's conversation,I'm understanding that Squash
the Beef isn't just a book.
It's a guiding light of selfdiscovery, acceptance and how to
(27:29):
find one's purpose.
I also will tell you thatthrough our conversation today,
I see your unwavering faith inGod.
I hear it in your voice.
God serves as your compass andit steered you towards a deeper
calling for yourself and fromyour culinary endeavors to this
(27:52):
new venture.
In writing.
Chef Terrell's Experiences abeautiful testament to finding
out what fuels us and pushes usforward in this thing called
life.
We are reminded also, I think,that each step that we take, no
matter how small they can seemat the time, can lead us towards
revelations and an enormousamount of transformation.
(28:14):
So the concept, I think, isbeautiful of Squash the Beef
because it's multi-dimensionaland I cannot wait to read the
full book and implement that inmy life and to also cook some
really cool recipes.
Your relationship with Godmakes my heart sing.
From my heart to yours, I justwanna say thank you so much for
(28:38):
being a part of this episode.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Thank you, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I'm happy as a clam.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
And you're welcome here at any time and when your
book launches, we'll have to puta social media blast out Like
the book is here.
Get your book, because they aregonna sell out fast.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Can I get a signed copy?
Speaker 1 (29:04):
Certainly of course I would like a signed copy.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
You don't even have to ask that, of course Sign
filled and delivered.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
I will tell you since , okay, the episode has
concluded.
You're amazing, son.
He's this TikTok extraordinary.
Can I tell you?
My kids know your son fromTikTok.
They're like yeah, yeah,seriously, and this is my son is
a sneakerhead and he does hissneakers and my son was like you
(29:33):
don't know his dad.
I was like no, we went tocollege together.
Yeah, like really.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Yeah, wow.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Yeah, it's a small pink world.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He gonna be tickled when Imention that yeah, you did.
Yeah, that is wow.
Popular Podcasts
Cold Case Files: Miami
Joyce Sapp, 76; Bryan Herrera, 16; and Laurance Webb, 32—three Miami residents whose lives were stolen in brutal, unsolved homicides. Cold Case Files: Miami follows award‑winning radio host and City of Miami Police reserve officer Enrique Santos as he partners with the department’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, determined family members, and the advocates who spend their lives fighting for justice for the victims who can no longer fight for themselves.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.