NaTosha LaVelle Barber, known in Houston as Chef Tae, began her love for the kitchen at age five cooking alongside her mother in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Today, she has her own catering company and says this kind of work is what keeps her balanced.
“Being in the kitchen brought me back to being relaxed, takes my mind off of any stresses,” says the 48 year old chef who has a growing list of regular clients. “The end product is just the love that people get from eating the food.”
Although she loves her career today, this professional path wasn’t always part of her plan.
“I was on a full ride at McNeese State in Lake Charles Louisiana on a basketball and track scholarship,” says Chef Tae, who eventually went on to work in insurance sales for more than a decade. Eventually, though, she realized life is too short to not follow her passion. “I’m not a spring chicken, I’m not even a fall fowl.”
In 2020, she made Food Network critic Chad Mercer’s ChadChoice list, confirming that Chef Tae is one to watch.
She was also voted OutSmart Magazine’s “Best Local LGBTQ Chef” and “Best LGBTQ Caterer” for 2022 and 2023 in their annual “Gayest and Greatest” issue.
Although the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for Chef Tae, she made time to stop by Houston Life to share her delicious pepperjack boudin balls and recipe for Cajun Spiced Shrimp and Smoked Gouda Grits.
Cajun Spiced Shrimp and Smoked Gouda Grits
Grits:
-2 Cups chicken stock
-1 ¼ cups grits
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/2 stick unsalted butter
-1 cup shredded smoked Gouda
Shrimp:
-1 Tbsp minced garlic
-2 Tbsp onions
-3 Tbsp butter
-1 lb. peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
-2 cups heavy cream
-1 cup shredded smoked Gouda
-Salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste
Watch the video above to see how Che Tae prepared her recipe on Houston Life.
CLICK HERE to connect with Chef Tae.