It was a somber pause in what to that point had been an energetic and lively discussion on food, restaurants, and culinary school.<\/p>\n
![\"Chef](\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/chef-tiffmo-standing-200x300.jpeg\")
As a medically-discharged U.S. Army Veteran, Tiffany herself had faced plenty of challenging circumstances. Doctors told her that she would never be able to pursue her dream of opening a restaurant. She was told, in fact, that she wouldn\u2019t be able to work in the culinary field at all due to a spine injury she had suffered while deployed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI medically retired at 29 years old and they say: ‘Hey, you can’t do anything else.’ So I’m supposed to sit at the house every day?\u201d<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Tiffany\u2019s not a suicide statistic…quite the opposite. She finds herself on a mission to, in her words, \u201cfeed life,\u201d by founding a new restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia<\/a>.<\/p>\n In support of her new venture, she recently won $25,000 in seed funding and $20,000 in pro bono legal fees. But her path has been anything but a straight line.<\/p>\n “Food is my purpose on this planet.” Tiffany\u2019s story is that of a true \u201cHero\u2019s Journey.\u201d It begins with high hopes, physical danger, and nearly dashed dreams. It\u2019s one of finding mentorship, in the form of Chef Instructors<\/a>, who helped her gain both culinary and business skills\u2014and who helped her overcome new life challenges that nearly derailed her…again.<\/p>\n It culminates in graduating with honors from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in 2019, and forging a new path of entrepreneurship fraught with new challenges and opportunities.<\/p>\n And while she\u2019s still in the midst of writing this next chapter in her epic life story, Tiffany graciously took a time-out to share with us her amazing adventure. The hope is that others\u2014and especially veterans who are facing the challenges of re-entering civilian life\u2014might keep pursuing their dreams.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it’s your passion, if it’s something that you cannot stop thinking about…that’s what you’re supposed to be doing<\/em>. Take that time to go and really focus on it.\u201d<\/p>\n And for those considering a culinary career: \u201cReally hone down on what type of chef you’re going to be, what type of culinarian you’re going to be, if food is your goal.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s Tiffany\u2019s story…so far.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to own a poetry cafe. I love to dance. I love cooking food. And I love seeing people devour my food. But I ended up joining the military instead.\u201d<\/p>\n While her plan was to gain experience as a cook in the military, her recruiter pushed her away from the idea.<\/p>\n \u201cHe mentioned that I may have to work on holidays. And I was like…’I don’t think I want to do that’! So I ended up serving in ammunition.\u201d<\/p>\n But while deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, an injury downrange prevented her from pursuing her dream to go back to culinary school.<\/p>\n \u201cI had two cervical spine surgeries. I got a metal plate in my neck C4 through C6. And I stopped walking for about three months.\u201d<\/p>\n Then the really bad news: Medical doctors at the VA hospital told Tiffany that she\u2019d never get to pursue her dream of going to culinary school or starting a culinary career. Since the culinary industry often requires significant physical labor, like lifting heavy objects and standing on your feet for hours at a time, the risks of reinjury were too great.<\/p>\n Tiffany was devastated. \u201cAfter the doctors told me that I could never pursue my dream, I sat in the VA parking lot and I cried.\u201d<\/p>\n Yet moments later, she would discover Escoffier…and her life would change forever.<\/p>\n \u201cI hopped on Instagram\u2014because that’s what we do when we get bored! And I saw an ad for Escoffier in my Instagram feed. I was like: ‘An online culinary school? I had this idea in 2006!’ and so I called them right there in the parking lot and I was enrolled in 48 hours.<\/p>\n \u201cI received it as a message from God, from the Universe.\u201d<\/p>\n While online culinary school gave Tiffany a safer option for her culinary education, yet another health challenge surfaced.<\/p>\n Near the end of her culinary studies, Tiffany received a possible Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, and needed to have a spinal tap to confirm.<\/p>\n Deflated and on the verge of quitting, she reached out to one of her Chef Instructors, who reminded her of Paul Prudhomme<\/a>, a famous New Orleans Chef who literally ran his kitchen from a wheelchair.<\/p>\n \u201cShe checked on me all the time, texting me and emailing me. The support was there [from Escoffier] when I was going through a life crisis. And I almost quit. But I figured it was the devil trying to get me.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, Tiffany graduated with honors and was asked to give a speech at the school\u2019s graduation ceremony.<\/p>\n Since then, she\u2019s been able to put her skills to work in her family\u2019s catering business, Event Hall @ Cascade<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople in the restaurant industry often struggle with food costs and pricing. I realized going through school that one, I can up my pricing since I’m a graduate now (laughter).<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn’t charging enough. So it’s definitely helped me learn the business side of becoming a chef, because it’s not all about ‘Oh, I just love cooking for people.’ There is a business to everything that you enjoy doing. Escoffier definitely taught me those skills.\u201d<\/p>\n Tiffany pitched her business idea at the Military Influencer Conference<\/a> through an organization called Streetshares, which gives out grants to \u2018vetpreneurs\u2019 (entrepreneurs who are veterans) and their spouses.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were 160 total applicants. I was in the top 3 out of 16, and then from that 3 I was number one. They said they’ve never had that many votes in the past four or five years of them doing this!\u201d<\/p>\n Some of the concepts coming to life at Tiffany\u2019s new restaurant include bringing forth black history<\/a> in her food creations. She shared that her menu will have captions of why she chose specific items, including their relationships to black culinary history and the slave trade. For example, the meaning behind hush puppies, or why black eyed peas are a New Year\u2019s Eve traditional staple in African American homes.<\/p>\n In Tiffany\u2019s own words: \u201cFarm to Table Chef Tiffany Moore specializes in feeding you life with colorfully plated soul food options. From her spin on candied yams using purple sweet potatoes, to cognac glazed pecan bread pudding and meats seasoned with spices from her worldwide culinary travels\u2014particularly Mother Africa\u2014Chef Tiffany gives soul food a creative upgrade.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The winning strategy was creating a QR code. That made it easy for people to scan the code and go directly to her link to vote for her restaurant idea.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we had events at the venue, I’m the bartender, so I would tell people: ‘If you scan this, I’ll make you a special drink.’ So I was able to get into the top running, and I was able to pitch my business idea.\u201d<\/p>\n Tiffany won $15,000 and an additional $20,000 in lawyer fees. Then one of the judges at the conference helped her get an additional $10,000 grant from Fiserv<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cMy plan is to build a farm to table restaurant from the ground up. I want to have it solar powered. I really would love Tesla to maybe be a sponsor on this…I’m going to be a little kid and speak that into the universe!\u201d<\/p>\n
\nTiffany Moore, Escoffier Online Culinary Arts Graduate<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nHow Online Culinary School Saved Tiffany\u2019s Dream<\/h2>\n
![\"Tiffany](\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Tiffany-Moore-with-Logo-1024x683.jpg\"){kind=logo}
\nLike many people, Tiffany Moore had a dream of someday owning her own restaurant.<\/p>\nFrom Almost Quitting to Graduating with Honors<\/h2>\n
![\"Escoffier](\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Tiffany-M.jpg\")
“Finishing culinary school definitely helped me with my family\u2019s catering business. I was able to price my food better. And that’s something that I think a lot of chefs and caterers struggle with.”
\nTiffany Moore, Escoffier Online Culinary Arts Graduate<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\nGetting Funding for Her Farm to Table Restaurant Idea<\/h2>\n
![\"Tiffany](\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Tiffany-Moore-on-farm-wearing-red-and-white-Escoffier-logo-shirt-1024x683.jpg\"){kind=logo}
\n\u201cI’ve always wanted to open up a restaurant…and that restaurant\u2019s name is Lola Pecan.\u201d<\/p>\nBlack History at Lola Pecan Restaurant<\/h3>\n
![\"Academic](\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/culinary-interests-survey-collage-mobile.png\")
\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"Academic](\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/culinary-interests-survey-collage-desktop.png\")
\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t