For The Record

Kimberly Parris is a chef, restaurant consultant, culinary storyteller, writer, and food justice advocate with over two decades of experience on both sides of the pass.

 

She has worked on the opening teams of numerous Whole Foods Market locations, served as Prepared Foods Team Leader, and contributed to Marcus Samuelsson's JFK Airport concept — where a recipe systems overhaul she led resulted in a 600% increase in revenue. At Eataly's Flatiron location, she helped design a new inventory system for the restaurants and became the first Black woman Chef de Cuisine in the brand's history.

 

During the pandemic, she entered full-time entrepreneurship. Her full service catering & event planning service company, The CaribDiva Company, netted two consecutive six-figure years and grew from a team of two to a team of ten.

 

She is the Founder and Executive Director of herDIVASpot, a nonprofit serving Black preteen girls in NYC and Georgia, built around a year-long curriculum in self-esteem, entrepreneurship, and leadership — culminating in a Rites of Passage ceremony in South Carolina.

 

She is also a contributing writer for Women of the Culture and the voice behind At The Kitchen Table, her Substack and YouTube channel on food, culture, and the history that doesn't always make it into the official record.