We had the good fortune of connecting with Angelique Kingston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angelique, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
I actually have a few favorite quotes/affirmations. The two that resound with me the most are ” Do onto others as you want done unto you” and “Bloom where you are planted”. My mother would always tell me, don’t treat anyone in any way that you wouldn’t want reciprocated, so I remind myself of this constantly when responding or reacting to situations. I apply that mindset to my business/career as well; I try to always correctly represent the brands or companies I work with in the same manner that I would want people to treat my company. Being a entrepreneur, its so difficult not to compare your success and just overall lifestyle to others, especially in the age of social media. The mantra of blooming where I am planted, reminds me to focus and flourish at every stage of this journey. It reminds me of my favorite J.Cole line, “There’s beauty in the struggle, ugliness in the success” The path to success although a rocky one, has so many moments of beauty, and every season has something special to offer and many lessons to teach. It reminds me I cannot rush the process , and to be grateful for growth.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the very very proud co-founder and chef of a Caribbean fusion catering company , Thymeless Catering. My college best friend Christina, and I started the company back in 2018 when we both realized we were in love with creating food for others but we did NOT want to work in restaurants for the rest of our lives. We wanted to create meals reflective of our vision and our heritage. My family is Guyanese and hers Haitian, and with so many similarities in the cultures’ the direction for the cuisine was a no brainer. In efforts to remain true to our personalities, capitalize on the Johnson & Wales degree, AND pay homage to our culture we decided to market ourselves as Caribbean fusion catering company, a niche you rarely see in the industry. Our love of travel granted us the luxury of being made privy to many cuisines and being able to combine what we learn with what we know. We want to show our clientele the very very vast horizon of Caribbean cuisine and how all cultures can be intertwined. Its super fun because we literally allow our creativity to run wild, creating new flavors, and challenging ourselves to bring into fruition what we’ve brainstormed. We had the idea to do a pepperpot soup dumpling for a Caribbean Asian fusion menu; when the client indulged, she expressed it was one of the best and most creative things she’s ever had: that’s what I’m proud of, that we’re able to provide memorable and timeless creations for others to enjoy. I’m excited to continue to be able to do that. Our business is our baby, and she’s still very much a work in progress, but I can attest her growth in the last couple years to dedication to the vision. Consistently looking at where we are, collectively figuring out where we want to be, and what steps we need to take to get there. And then refiguring that out again and again. We’ve had to remember why we decided to embark on this journey as fuel to keep going. When challenges arise we try to battle them together, one step at a time; reminding ourselves that Rome wasn’t built in a day and our success is defined by our standards. We want everything we create to tell a story and for anyone we’re able to feed to be able to taste the love we put into our food. We use our skills to provide for those who have fallen on hard times, and we aspire to always be able to provide a meal for anyone in need.

It’s such an important part of my purpose to feed those in need, I joined a social justice organization called Black Chef Movement.  As the Director of Events, I helped create a program called Fill The Fridges where my team and I, on monthly basis fill some of the Friendly Fridges of NYC in each borough. It’s an initiative that I’m extremely proud of and hope that the movement can grow so it can become a weekly fill.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh wow, this is a tough one! NYC is so vast and there are soooo many places I like to go, and it varies by season lol. Also a lot of my favorite spots shut down due to the pandemic, but ill give it a whirl. There’s beauty in every borough, so id want to show her show her some things in each borough. Day one, so its only right that we start with a classic baconeggandcheese, its a NY staple and important part of the culture. We’d walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, as the views are just breathtaking. From there we’d go to South Street Seaport to take in the views of the city, Then we would swing over to Soho for some shopping and sample sales, followed by lunch at one of my favorite little Italian spots. We’d swing up to midtown, and take in the views from the observation deck of the Empire state building. Next stop, restaurant row, I love choosing something impulsive and trying it out. We’d conclude the evening at the Skyline drive in theater in Greenpoint. During the remainder of the trip we’d have to check out MoMa and the Giggenheim museums, as well as the museum of Food and Drink. Explore some of my fave chill spots, Brooklyn Bridge Park, The promenade, Prospect park, Roosevelt Island and Rockaway beach. Get into the food scene at enjoying Thai, Thaiholic and Spice, pasta at Scampi and Bar Primi, Pizza at &Pizza, Lions Tigers & Squares and my fave Spumonis, Empanadas from Empanada Mama. Most importantly , id take her out of the city to Bear Mountain and Nyack for a great nature experience.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m a firm believer in the sentiment that it takes a village, and not just to raise a child, but to grow in life. My shoutout is dedicated to my village; there’s quite a few to name but they know who they are. They are the pillars of support in my life and deserve recognition for much of my success.

Website: www.thymelesscatering,com

Instagram: @_thymelesscatering

Facebook: Thymeless Catering

Other: @blackchefmovement takelessons.com/profile/angelique-k

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