'Respect your team, customers and vendors'

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Food, music and culture are baked into Lasheeda Perry’s business, Queen of Flavor LLC, which offers restaurant menu consulting services, custom desserts and a dessert tasting room in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Perry, a trained pastry chef, previously worked as an executive pastry chef for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and decided a year ago to move from Los Angeles to Florida to be closer to family. She also teaches pastry classes on the Food Network Kitchen App (she’s appeared on several shows, including Beat Bobby Flay) and travels the country for work. Perry was one of five chefs invited to New Orleans to cook at Taste of the NFL during Super Bowl weekend, raising money for Gen YOUth. “It’s important to me to give back when I can, baking or using my time to help the youth,” she says.  –Marcy Medina 

What was your path to becoming a pastry chef?

In high school, home economics was transitioning out of curriculums,  and my teacher was left with kitchen equipment. They decided to start a culinary program, and it’s where I fell in love with cooking. That teacher began training us to get into top culinary schools, and I got a full scholarship to Johnson & Wales University, which allowed me to network with people from all over the world. I went to Ireland, Australia and China, and I was a kid from Philadelphia who didn’t leave the state growing up. 

What led you to start your own business? 

I knew it was important to crawl before I walked, so I trained under amazing chefs in fine and corporate dining to get exposure to every aspect of the industry. I came out with a tasting room because it allows me to tap into different parts of cooking. I don’t classify myself as someone who only loves to bake; customers know I can switch it up.

How does the tasting room work? 

Three ways: I post about workshops and tastings on my website, and people sign up. I usually cap it at 22 people. Or groups can book a private team-building event like a cake decorating workshop. The third way is if someone needs catering, we schedule a meeting there to see what they have in mind. That human connection is what makes Queen of Flavor special. I get to sit and talk with people, and customers are making friends and building community.

What types of desserts are trending now? 

Unique ingredients are always trending. I also get a lot of requests for sweet and savory pastries because one person will like sweets but their partner won’t. Pie crust and croissant dough lend themselves to both.

What advice would you give young chefs?

Be humble, and don’t get caught up in people. Respect your team, customers and vendors, and everything else will fall into place. 

Above: Lasheeda Perry (Courtesy)

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