Deborah VanTrece
Owner of Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours and CEO of VanTrece Hospitality Group
Over the past two decades, Deborah has built a food empire in Atlanta, GA. In this portrait, the veteran chef shares her journey to, and through, the profession – from her experiences as a flight attendant and the influence it had on her brand of global soul food to the mentorship opportunities she hopes to create for the next generation of chefs.
"Through my travels, I realized that every country has their version of soul food. A lot of times, those particular items are considered beneath, you know, they’re not special. And I disagree with that wholeheartedly: I believe that all food is special if prepared properly." – Chef Deborah
More About Chef Deborah
Chef Deborah VanTrece is one of the South’s most recognized culinary personalities, best-selling author, and CEO and founder of the VanTrece Hospitality Group. The VanTrece Hospitality Group includes the award-winning modern, global soul food restaurant, Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, and The Catering Company by VanTrece. In spring 2022, she launched Oreatha’s at The Point in Atlanta’s historic Cascade Heights neighborhood, a concept showcasing comfort food dishes made by mothers around the world. In October 2022, she opened her third restaurant, Serenidad, a Latin soul cuisine restaurant, also in Cascade Heights.
The intersection of food and culture is at the heart of VanTrece’s cuisine, which features creative modern interpretations and global influences on traditional Southern dishes. She coined the phrase “modern, global soul food” to describe her unique approach.
Prior to embarking on her culinary career more than two decades years ago, Chef VanTrece was a flight attendant for American Airlines, where her travels took her to destinations throughout Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Her experience had a profound influence on her unique culinary style. In the process of exploring international cultures and food traditions, Chef VanTrece has become a leading voice for Americans re-examining our own food culture. She set out on mission to bring recognition and respect to her own family’s food traditions while also shaping the large influence that the African Diaspora and black food heritage has had on contemporary American Cuisine.
Chef VanTrece is also a tireless advocate for local farm families, whom she regularly promotes through her menus and special community events. She is a leading voice for the humane treatment of farm animals, sustainable agriculture, and food waste reduction. As a female African American restauranteur, business owner, and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Chef VanTrece is also a passionate and vocal advocate for social justice and issues, especially those that impact marginalized and vulnerable populations. She is highly sought after as a mentor, particularly by young chefs of color. Her commitment to community was recently recognized by The Coca-Cola Company, which awarded Deborah and her team a $10,000 prize for the selfless way they have responded to COVID-19 live on Good Morning America.
Find Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours at @twistedsoulcookhouse and www.twistedsoulatl.com.
Recipe of Love is a community portrait project that draws inspiration from The Hot Wing King to spotlight five Black and queer-owned restaurants, food trucks and food platforms in Atlanta, Georgia. The participants in this exhibit describe food as a language of love and as a binding agent for the Black and queer community. Each profile explores the way kitchens catalyze intimate, familial, and communal relationships that can reclaim history and self-worth to move our communities toward a more satiated feeling of belonging.
The exhibit pairs portraiture with audio interviews. It is available digitally and on display in the North Alcove Lobby in the Memorial Arts Building during the run of The Hot Wing King.
