Anzie Blue Chef Star Maye Is Breaking All The Rules In Food And Becoming A ‘Star’ Because Of It

Anybody who is aware of music trade mogul Marcie Allen Van Mol, the founding father of MAC Presents, is effectively conscious that she turned one of the profitable figures in music and a perpetual identify on music energy gamers lists by scoffing on the guidelines.

So when she and husband Derek Van Mol have been in search of a chef for his or her Nashville sizzling spot, Anzie Blue, after all they went wanting exterior the field. And having a watch for expertise, the couple discovered their, no pun meant, Star — Star Maye.

Maye is charismatic, artistic, creative and in possession of a again story, from Alabama to the army and Alaska, worthy of a TV film. However being a Black, queer, feminine chef, she was by no means given the prospect to be an govt chef.

As Allen Van Mol explains, that’s sadly not stunning. “There’s such a disparity between the variety of feminine govt cooks and male, after which once you really discuss concerning the proportion, in comparison with folks of coloration after which additionally queer govt cooks, the quantity is loopy,” she says.

Certainly, the numbers are downright miserable. Of 135, 236 Govt Cooks within the U.S. in 2022 in response to Zippia, solely 12.5 of these are girls, 10.4 are Black and solely eight % are LGBTQ. So being a Black, feminine, queer govt chef, Maye is basically a unicorn.

Fortunately, after 20 years of in search of the proper residence, Maye has discovered her excellent artistic accomplice within the Van Mols. To rejoice her one-year anniversary at Anzie Blue, Maye was a made a component proprietor. She additionally has an upcoming cook dinner e-book — A Star Amongst Us: A Chef’s Story — out June 23, hopes to increase Anzie Blue in a post-COVID world and Maye is a rising star within the meals house.

Steve Baltin: Star, how lengthy have you ever been at Anzie Blue? How did you join anyway?

Star Maye: By a mutual good friend. One other chef good friend of mine form of introduced me on to assist at Anzie Blue to start with, possibly final March.

Baltin: Do you are feeling like being at a CBD house, you are allowed to possibly be extra artistic, whether or not it is cannabis-infused or not?

Maye: Fortunate for me, Marcie form of offers me the room to be as artistic as I could be. I inform folks in all probability essentially the most fascinating factor that I’ve created was the Deviled Egg Flight. I do not know the place that got here from. I simply knew that devilled eggs is a really southern factor. However I ain’t a one-trick pony, so I wished to have a number of flavors on a flight. So I simply went by means of and tasted all this bizarre stuff till, [laughter] till one thing tasted good. In order that’s form of how like that took place. So it does permit me to have the ability to push the envelope a bit of bit as a result of I already know that if persons are coming right here, they’re already fairly open-minded about issues, so they might be a bit of bit extra adventurous with their meals.

Baltin: What are a few of the most fascinating flavors you present in devilled eggs?

Maye: Proper now we’ve 5 on the menu. You get 5 devilled eggs in a flight. And so we’ve the southern conventional as a result of we’re within the south, after which I acquired cheddar and bacon, tomato, and mozzarella, pesto and tomato, and capers, cream cheese and purple onion. You simply gotta come and see. However I like that smoked salmon cream cheese. I like that lox bagel really feel. So that’s the place that got here from. However I feel that I missed it by not placing the salmon on there, however I is likely to be placing it on there. We’ll need to see what occurs.

Baltin: I discuss to so many musicians who like to cook dinner as a result of it is a artistic launch for them and completely different from what they’re used to doing. Do you discover that working there, you discovered form of this pure correlation between music and cooking?

Maye: Yeah, I am a music lady myself. I am not an expert in any manner, however I have been taking part in hand drums in all probability for about 15 to 18 years. So after I’m not cooking, music is my launch. So these two issues positively go hand-in-hand. I feel that creative-minded folks is a factor. Artists, actors, all of us have that artistic facet and we generally can dabble into one another’s world as a result of the creativity continues to be there. I do group theater too. I am a theater child. I like various kinds of creativity. So it would not simply go away it there. Cooking is the place I discovered my residence as a result of that is what I am used to from rising up and being round my household. So it was simply pure for me. However I paint, I construct furnishings. I’m a really artistic particular person exterior of simply cooking simply usually.

Baltin: What’s your favourite music to cook dinner to once you’re simply messing round, if you happen to’re at residence and also you’re experimenting for enjoyable, cooking for pals?

Maye: Soul funk [laughter]. Put me some Bootsy Collins on and we gonna dance by means of the kitchen and get the job completed, possibly some Earth, Wind & Fireplace. I like “Boogie Land,” some “September.”

Baltin: What would you make for Earth, Wind & Fireplace if they arrive into Anzie Blue?

Maye: Folks come there for the facet, Steve. I am not gonna lie about it. The mac and cheese, the candies, candy potatoes, the collard greens, the brussel sprouts, they’re there for all of that.

Baltin: So that you’re having a cocktail party. You are having Marcie, Bootsy Collins, three, 4 different folks over, what do you make?

Maye: Figuring out Marcie, it is gonna be some sort of seafood, as a result of she’s acquired a really strict food regimen. I do know that she likes these seafood issues, that she doesn’t take pleasure in salmon. So we’ll in all probability have some very nice scallops and shrimp. I will take you again to my panhandle roots, rising up on the seaside space, that is the place my consolation is, in that sort of meals. So I’d in all probability convey that proper on again, possibly make some shrimp creole. That sounds good. And I feel all people would be capable to recognize that as a result of that is a kind of meals that may be a reminiscence. For those who’ve ever been in New Orleans, which I am certain these folks have, and also you style that meals, you are gonna be like, “Oh, I bear in mind when.”

Baltin: As we’re speaking about this, I am realizing there’s so many similarities between music and meals and one of many huge ones is, once more, it takes you again. You hear a track that you just heard once you’re six years previous and it takes you again to being six years previous and you consider the mac and cheese you ate, or grilled cheese or no matter. So what are your throwback meals?

Maye: I’ve acquired to let you know, it is a very underrated meals, I inform folks this on a regular basis, nevertheless it’s very versatile. You possibly can do lots of issues with it, nevertheless it’s the underdog of meals, and it is simply grits. I have been cooking grits since I used to be 5 years previous. So now at this tender age I am at, not very many individuals are cooking them pretty much as good as me. So grits is a kind of issues that holds you and places you to mattress at evening. You may eat it any time of the day. You can also make it right into a cake. You may fry it. As soon as it is completed, you are able to do no matter you need to with it.

Baltin: How previous have been you once you began cooking?

Maye: I am gonna say in all probability about 5. My grandmother at all times had us within the kitchen, however I feel that that was the primary time she ever requested me to do one thing within the kitchen. She was busy and she or he kicked my little stool to the range and she or he was like, “Hey lady, stand up there and stir them grits.” So I acquired up there on my little stool, I acquired the wood spoon and I stirred these grits.

Baltin: So once you make them now, does it take you again to being 5?

Maye: Sure, it does. She cherished Mahalia Jackson, my grandmother. So listening to that Mahalia Jackson and stirring these grits, it’s totally sentimental and it at all times makes me smile each time, they be like, “What are you smiling at?” I am like, “Don’t fret about it, it was only a good reminiscence.”

Baltin: The place’d you develop up by the best way?

Maye: I grew up in a small city referred to as Excel, Alabama, Repton, Alabama. So it is a avenue and one facet of the road is one city and one facet of the road is one other city. [laughter] So it is laborious to say. Folks ask the place I am from, “Okay, I went to Excel highschool, however my deal with was Repton, Alabama.” It is the center of nowhere. It was a mud highway. It was a purple clay grime highway that divided two counties, Conecuh County and Monroe County. One facet is Repton and one facet is Excel. So that you gotta be caught within the center. My GPS goes loopy after I go residence. It would not know what to do.

Baltin: How’d you find yourself in Nashville?

Maye: By manner of a complete bunch of stuff. I simply did an entire bunch of stuff [laughter]. I stored throwing spaghetti noodles until considered one of them stood, and after I acquired to Nashville, it stood. So I have been right here now for about, happening 9 years. I used to be within the Navy, stationed in San Diego. I did that for a short time and I’ve labored on fish camps in Alaska and oil rigs and seashores, all form of seashores. I’ve cooked everywhere in the state of Florida, Alabama, Louisiana.

Baltin: I do know that is your first gig as an govt chef. Speak concerning the significance of being in a spot the place you have got a lady supporting you. Do you are feeling like that is made an enormous distinction for you?

Maye: Oh, positively made an enormous distinction, simply having an individual imagine in what you are doing. I’ve by no means completed it earlier than. So for an individual simply to leap out and be like, “You are able to do this,” that was value 1,000,000 bucks. I’ve been displaying this for thus a few years and it has fallen on deaf ears and blind eyes. However for some purpose, I walked on this door and this woman is like, “I imagine in you, you would do that,” that positively adjustments issues. If you end up an individual like me with so many adversities unexpectedly, they form of low cost me after I stroll within the door. They was like, “She’ll be a prep particular person or no matter.” I inform folks, it took me so lengthy to get to a bodily hotline. After which as soon as I acquired to the hotline, then it was like, primary, no one’s ever higher than me on the hotline. It is simply the best way it’s as a result of I made myself higher on function. I did not actually have a alternative. So it would not matter the place you set me, it is gonna achieve success. It would not matter. I’ve confirmed that fingers down again and again. I inform folks that is the distinction between me and different cooks is that I have never had a alternative however to work from a dishwasher all the best way to the chief chef. In order that makes my work ethic a bit of bit completely different than my counterparts. And having the ability to work with Marcie and have such a robust feminine employees is nice ‘trigger all people is simply making an attempt to excel at no matter we’re doing and I like that.

Baltin: At what level did you develop that positivity?

Maye: Imagine it or not, as soon as I left Florida. I labored there for thus lengthy simply making an attempt to get my foot within the door and do what I wanted to do till by the point I used to be leaving there, I used to be overwhelmed. I felt overwhelmed up. I did not even assume I’d cook dinner after I got here to Nashville to work at Amazon. I had form of given up on it. I used to be like, “Effectively possibly that is not my factor. Possibly I simply must attempt one thing completely different.” I am like, “I am not getting anyplace at this job and I do not need to proceed to place this a lot time into one thing if it isn’t gonna have a finish recreation aside from me making salads for $9 an hour. I can not stay on that.” However after I acquired to Nashville, what I’ve seen right here is that it isn’t lots of expertise. Many of the cooks listed below are very younger. They could have 5 years of expertise versus my 23. Now that modified the taking part in subject for me. Now my 15 years or 16 years of expertise seems actually nice on a resume right here.

Baltin: What do you hope others take out of your story and the truth that you discovered success in a spot the place you are allowed to be your self?

Maye: It took time. Even at my breaking level, after I thought that this wasn’t gonna be the factor for me, I pivot, and increase, there we go. As soon as I acquired to Tennessee, it nonetheless took me seven years to search out Marie. So it takes that getting up day-after-day. I may need gotten knocked down 18 occasions, however I acquired up 19. So so long as you persist by means of no matter it’s, and when life will get loopy and also you’re prepared to maneuver, you do not have to maneuver since you’ve already put the time in. Simply pivot, attempt it a unique manner. Strive one thing you did not do. As a result of what I had by no means completed was labored at a rustic membership. I did not know. I have been engaged on a Panhandle, had lots of work at fish camps in Alaska. I did all this loopy stuff, however I by no means labored in a rustic membership. I realized a lot, I pivot. I simply went and did one thing completely completely different I might by no means completed earlier than. As a result of primary, I am an individual who likes to study. Cooking is evolving day by day each day. Folks might say I am creative, however there’s someone proper subsequent to me who’s simply as creative as I’m. So it is all perspective. And I feel that’s the place it’s important to begin to change, is altering the best way you view it. At one level I acquired to the place I did not take rejection as rejection, I began to take it as stepping stones to assist me additional myself.

Baltin: Are there folks that you just take a look at and you have admired whether or not it is in enterprise, arts, no matter, for the truth that they’re in a position to frequently develop and reinvent themselves?

Maye: Sure. Yeah, in my music trade, I like Mary J. Blige. I have been listening to Mary J Blige since I used to be a small lady. She got here out within the ’90s, I used to be in my teen years, in order that was very pivotal for me. However ever since this woman has come out, each album, the expansion that I really feel, it appears like I’ve grown up along with her. And after I noticed her on the Tremendous Bowl, I used to be identical to, “Did not get married, and did it once more. Godly Mary, you retain me on my toes. Woman, I adore it.” Additionally, and I am not making an attempt to be any form of manner despite the fact that she my sister from one other mister. I love Marcie. To have an individual like her on my workforce rooting for me at all times, wanting my opinions and displaying me how essential of an individual I’m to her, that’s pivotal for me. And to see her go from a music mogul to beginning her personal enterprise, to beginning a restaurant with no restaurant expertise. [laughter] And so they have been profitable earlier than they even moved in to the constructing and began meals. They have been nice with charcuterie boards and occasional. And she or he simply went and purchased some George Foreman grills and a few Keurigs and referred to as it a spot. That takes guts. That may be a particular person I need to know.

Baltin: The place do you see this going? Do you need to increase?

Maye: Yeah. With COVID and no matter, staffing has been an actual problem for us at Anzie Blue. In order that’s in all probability what has been the most important deterrent for me eager to increase into different markets or, simply even opening one other Anzie Blue. I’d love to try this. I feel that each city wants a Anzie blue as a result of I inform folks it isn’t a restaurant. Sure, we promote meals, we acquired espresso, we acquired pastries, we acquired all sort. We do charcuterie boards and catering, all types of that stuff. However on the finish of the day, it is a group spot. I like going on the market seeing the school youngsters on their laptop computer, making an attempt to review for his or her midterms and folks coming in and determine to have their conferences there and hang around for hours and pay attention and benefit from the house. We’re constructing a group and I really feel like all cities proper now on this period that we’re in wants a group place. So I’d like to convey my group alongside. I inform people who’s my residence. Anzie Blue is my coronary heart. So y’all are in my residence once you are available. So I haven’t got prospects. I’ve friends. They’re welcome anytime.

Baltin: The place would you wish to see Anzie Blue go subsequent?

Maye: Wherever. I really feel like Anzie Blue can be a terrific seaside facet place additionally. Nashville is a staple, however I really feel prefer it’s acquired that form of beachy vibe within the metropolis, that is like, it is actual chill once you stroll in and Zen. So I do really feel like a terrific seaside location can be superior. I’ve had a number of folks attempt to get us to California and several other folks attempt to get us to Florida and completely different locations. I additionally had somebody ask about New Orleans. So I am like all these locations sound cool to me. I am gonna journey quickly to them. I used to be like I acquired to be in control of the menu [laughter].