When she was 13 years old and growing up in Chicago, a majority of Kayla Renee Adams’ peers were doing the things that teenagers are accustomed to doing.
Adams, meanwhile, was on some grown folk stuff.
“I’ve been doing this for about six years now,” Adams said. “I’ve been cooking since I was 13 years old.”
To her credit, Adams’ unique but rare craft at such a young age has benefited her mightily in recent years.
So much, in fact, that her business as a rising professional chef is starting to generate headlines.
GOTTA LOVE GRANDMA — Without question, Adams is spicing things up a young, vibrant, progressive chef, in large part because long ago, she sensed that someday she would follow in the footsteps of her grandmother, Carrie Lee Henderson, whom she credits for inspiring me to cook and to look into becoming a chef.
During an interview this week with Making Headline News, Adams, a student at Arkansas Tech University, spoke at length about her the continuous success of her business as a professional chef.
Owner and CEO of Chef Lil Bit Enterprises — formerly Kayrenee Catering — Adams’ flourishing venture has been in operations since 2012.
As the 22-year-old Adams explained, she was a 17-year-old senior in high school at the time she established her business, a masterful development that essentially had come to fruition when — as far as Adams was concerned — opportunity didn’t knock, thus prompting her to create her own door.
YOU GO GIRL!!! Chicago businesswoman Kayla Adams is scheduled to graduate with a degree in Hospitality Administration with an emphasis in Foodservice Management from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville in May 2018.
“I couldn’t find a job in high school so I decided to make one,” Adams said. “During my senior year of high school, every Friday, I would bake between 100-to-150 desserts and, every Saturday morning, I would wake up and go to all of the barbershops and hair salons in my neighborhood to sell my desserts.”
Much to her delight, her tenacity and perseverance for broadening her horizon and maximizing her potential months before making the lofty transition to college have only fueled her competitive drive to stay on top of her cooking game, of sorts.
MAKING MAJOR MOVES — Owner and CEO of Chef Lil Bit Enterprises — formerly Kayrenee Catering — Adams’ flourishing venture has been in operations since 2012.
In March, for instance, Adams added to her entrepreneurship repertoire when she launched her T-Shirt line called, “Live Life With A Little Spice.”
“It means that in order to make it in this world, you have to add a little spice to it,” Adams, whom recently obtained her Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (or CHIA) and her ServSafe Certified in both Food Handling and Alcohol, explained.
Without question, Adams is spicing things up a young, vibrant, progressive chef, in large part because long ago, she sensed that someday she would follow in the footsteps of her grandmother, Carrie Lee Henderson, whom she credits for inspiring me to cook and to look into becoming a chef.
Interesting enough, it’s safe to assume that entrepreneurship seemingly had always been a trend, particularly amongst Adams’ immediate family members.
Her mother, longtime Chicago journalist and communications specialist Lisa Jenkins, is widely known for having founded Chicago-based KRA Communications in August 2016.
WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE — Interesting enough, it’s safe to assume that entrepreneurship has become a trend, particularly amongst Adams immediate family members. Her mother, longtime Chicago journalist and communications specialist Lisa Jenkins, is widely known for having founded Chicago-based KRA Communications in August 2016.
Jenkins’ media-savvy business is dedicated largely to providing small businesses and entrepreneurs a vast array of services, most notably — but are not limited to — content creation, event planning and management, press release generation, social media campaigns, cover letter and resume updating, as well as an assortment of writing or editing services for consumers.
Like her mother, Adams said what she loves mostly about her business is that she’s afforded the opportunity to make all day-to-day decisions, proving yet again she’s on some grown folk stuff.
“I like that it is my business and I get to make the decisions,” Adams said. “Of course, I am always open to constructive suggestions and criticism, but I’ve always wanted something I could call my own.”
And because of her steadfast commitment to doing business (and academics, of course) in excellence — and staying on her grown folk stuff — Adams is confident her biggest and brightest days are well ahead of her.
STAY TUNED — And because of steadfast commitment to doing things in excellence — and staying on her grown folk stuff — Adams is confident that her biggest and brightest days are well ahead of her.
“It’s imperative that I inspire others daily because everybody has a dream and some people don’t have the motivation of the esteem to go out and do what they love because some people are quick to judge them,” said Adams, who’s schedule to graduate with a degree in Hospitality Administration with an emphasis in Foodservice Management in May 2018. “And I just want everyone to know that you can do anything you set your mind too. Don’t let anything stop you from pursuing your dreams whether it’s age, family, or lack of knowledge.”
Oh, there’s one more thing she’d like to add, so take heed.
“I just want to make people happy one cupcake at a time, one cookie at a time, and one shirt at a time,” Adams said.
All while staying committed to her grown folk stuff.
EDITOR’S NOTE:If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
Andre Johnson is Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send an email to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
ABOUT ANDRE: Andre Johnson is a longtime sports journalist and a 2000 graduate of the University of the Memphis with Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. A native of Memphis, Johnson is a former sport reporter Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper and Memphis Sport Magazine. He worked as full-time staffer for The Commercial Appeal from 2000-2002, in which he was the beat reporter for the Memphis Houn’dawgs of now-defunct American Basketball Assocation and the Memphis Xplorers of the arenafootball2 league. He has interviewed numerous sports personalities, most notably Archie Manning, LeBron James, George “Iceman” Gervin, Issac Bruce, Laila Ali, Vince Carter, Paul Westphal, Phil Jackson, Ken Hamlin, Cortez Kennedy, Michael Oher, Kobe Bryant, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, James Harden, Patrick Willis, Stanley Morgan, Dirk Nowitzki, Rick Carlisle, Mark Cuban, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, John Force, Lamar Odom, Alexandra Stevenson, Derek Fisher, Penny Hardaway, Phillip Rivers, Colin Kaepernick, Jim Harbaugh, Tyreke Evans, Kirk Ferentz, and O. J. Mayo, among others. To reach Johnson, send email to: [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
Andre Johnson 
When she was 13 years old and growing up in Chicago, a majority of Kayla Renee Adams’ peers were doing the things that teenagers are accustomed to doing.
Like her mother, Adams said what she loves mostly about her business is that she’s afforded the opportunity to make all day-to-day decisions, proving yet again she’s on some grown folk stuff.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
