Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria-Lee Lewis.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My love for cooking began at the age of 5 when my Nonna asked me to help her make homemade biscuits. I thought it was the coolest thing to do. As I got older my curiosity for cooking grew. My father, who also has a passion for cooking, began to teach me how to put together different meals he made for the family. My fondest memory was my father showing me how to make homemade cheesecake with strawberries on the bottom and a chocolate shell on top. After that my passion for cooking and baking grew. I wanted to learn more, but didn’t really know where to begin and didn’t think it was the career path for me. In 2015 I decided to go vegan because I suffered from migraines and didn’t enjoy the side effects of the medicine. I was in and out of the Er every week unable to function or even complete daily task because my migraines were so frequent. So, with the basic knowledge I had of what it meant to be vegan I started on my journey to a healthier lifestyle. I remember my first vegan meal ever was a can of tomato soup and a can of mixed vegetables. I ate this for like two weeks straight. I thought to myself this can’t be what vegans eats. This triggered the idea to recreate all the meals I grew up on into vegan dishes. I started with my favorites and went down the line. I began including my friends and family each time I recreate a dish, such as Chicken Fried Chicken, and invited them to weekly dinners.
The combination of different spices and the mixing of different products to create an entirely new masterpiece has always captured my heart and my taste buds! After nurturing family and friends with my love of food along with learning and studying different culture’s cuisine, I knew that preparing healthy, healing meals for others was my calling.While on the journey of discovering exactly what it really means to serve others healthy and healing meals, my 5-year-old niece was diagnosed with intestinal blockage and was being prepared for surgery. I didn’t think at the young age of 5 years old that this was necessary or beneficial for her life as she got older. Researching what this one surgery could lead to down the road, I told my sister I didn’t think it was a good idea. I suggested we try a vegan lifestyle and see what happens. Using all I learned about a vegan lifestyle, such as wildcrafted Irish sea moss, bladderwrack, electric alkaline fruits, and vegetables, we cleared the blockage from my niece’s intestines and she now has a healthy system. No more pain, no more blockage, no more surgery. From then on, I really started to focus on creating recipes that were flavorful but will provide the body with the right tools to heal from the inside out. After that, my friends and family began to encourage me to cook for a living. I didn’t want to at first, but with a little push, I did my first Pop Up Market in 2021. That’s how The Vegan Black Pin-Up was born.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There has been many obstacles during my journey to become a successful vegan chef. The main one being changing the narrative of how people view vegan food, especially my wife. My wife and many other people are set in their eating habits so I had to challenge myself to make vegan food taste so good that anyone eating it could never tell the difference. The Vegan Black Pin-Up is vegan food for EVERYONE not just vegans.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a vegan chef and baker. We specialize in making it our mission to deliver quality vegan cuisine that is flavorful and healthy for vegans and non-vegans alike. Typically, when we are out you will first notice our nostalgic presence followed by the polka dots! I’m very proud that in the short few months that we have been serving the community, we have made our presence known near and far. We are definitely different from others simply because we make good food that tastes good to you but also good for you. We take pride in every ingredient that goes into a dish. Only the best for our customers!
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
My favorite podcast right now is, Dear Future Wifey and my favorite app is Pinterest!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @theveganblackpinup
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theveganblackpinup
