Talking SCHOP! Always add value

I am a firm believer in defining your path, taking each job, each position, each experience and identifying the lesson to use it as a steppingstone to the next opportunity. Since graduating from college, every job I have had in music, film, advertising, journalism, production and while growing my business has led me to where I am right now, in this moment, and I am vibrating in my joy every day.

I am currently in Atlanta working on the first season of a new show called “Hot Ones: The Game Show” as the culinary producer. Yes, for those in the know, this is a spinoff of the pop culture YouTube phenom, “Hot Ones,” where host, Sean Evans, interviews celebrities while they eat progressively hotter hot sauces. In this iteration, everyday people get a chance to win $25,000 by doing the same.

I get to use all of my food knowledge and experience to calmly and confidently stand in my role and abilities. This actualized a mantra which has lived, unspoken, in my head for years, “always add value.” Yes, you got the job, but you should always be trying to add value in any position you hold, and in myriad ways. If you are in the room, always add value!

The first week I was in Atlanta in November, there was no time to get into the food situation as days were long and there was onset catering and of course, craft services. By the end of that week I had accumulated enough of both of these to hold what we now call the “crafty cocktail party,” a minor but meaningful moment with my colleagues.

My first food moment came courtesy of my production assistant, Scotty, when we were returning from shopping. “I think you would like this place,” he said. I replied with, “let’s go!” We pulled into Souper Jenny, a collection of locally owned community cafes (@PlanetJennyATL, www.souperjennyatl.com).

After seeing the garden in the back with fresh greens and vegetables I was excited for whatever was inside. Simple, there were freshly made soups, sandwiches, salads and sweets presented in an easy-going cafeteria flow. The $15 lunch special netted me split pea soup, avocado and a Cabot cheddar sandwich, a cookie, fruit and a drink. It was the perfect way to get reenergized for the rest of the day.

Clearly, I have barely scratched the surface of this great experience and the Atlanta food to accompany it. There is hot chicken, ramen, she crab soup, crab toast, shrimp and grits and more. Stay tuned!

Happy Holidays and thanks for reading!

Kysha Harris is a food writer and editor, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for over 15 years. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @SCHOPgirl, on Facebook, /SCHOPnyc, and her blog, www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback?  Invitations!  Email AmNewsFOOD at AmNewsFOOD@SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD and tag us with #SoAmNewsFOOD with your food finds!