JWU Charlotte Veterans Create Community Through Food

About midway through her 11-year career in the Air Force, technical sergeant Gillian Howard ’20 faced a decision. “I was in England, wondering if should re-enlist or come back to the U.S.,” she recalls. “I knew I had the opportunity to bring back what I had seen of the world and how the food I’d tried in Thailand and all these other places had the same theme of bringing us all together.”

Without knowing anything about Charlotte, North Carolina, Howard chose Johnson & Wales for its Yellow Ribbon status and for its prestige — but soon discovered much more.

“As a veteran transitioning into the civilian world, I had an overwhelming sense to seek out tribe — and that’s what I found at JWU,” Howard shares. “It was my peers and network of educators that made sure I was OK when I returned, and it was the JWU Charlotte community that brought me back to life through being of service to others.” In her first year at JWU, Howard took a leap of faith, entering the S&D Coffee and Tea Culinary Challenge despite feeling intimidated by people who had competed for years. “I thought I was at a deficit but discovered that I was more prepared than I realized,” she says. “My military skills transitioned to JWU’s regiment and structure easily, with the kitchen brigade and attention to detail just like what I’d experienced in the military.”

Advice from family came in handy, too. “I started the competition and my mom told me to K.I.S.S. (“Keep it simple, stupid”),” Howard recalls of the contest, which required her to invent a recipe incorporating coffee or tea. “I won first place for the competition for my dish and for the live demo in Hance Auditorium,” she says of her coffee-infused date cake with tea and lemon ice cream. “That first encounter at JWU cemented who I think I am and that I’m doing what I’m supposed to.”

While still at JWU, Howard left her mark. In service to others, she founded JWU Charlotte’s chapter of Food Recovery Network. She also launched Cultured Concepts in 2018, offering personal chef services for catering, menu consultations and private cooking classes. When she graduated two years later, she began meeting pandemic-fueled food needs. “People missed eating out, and I was able to bring the restaurant concept to the home front,” she says.

Two Wildcat Veterans Collaborate on Culinary Education

In her first few post-JWU years, Howard found herself gravitating more toward teaching children and teens about food. “I was doing cooking demonstrations at different farmer’s markets every Saturday from 10-1,” she shares, “And I loved creating fresh, locally sourced, kid-approved meals for school-aged children. I’d do beautiful things with all the fresh produce — even babies wanted to try my creations!”

When Howard was invited to speak to a JWU class by a former professor, she noticed that one student kept raising her hand and asking wonderful questions. “We instantly connected,” recalls Howard. “We realized we were both military, had similar drive and were like-minded."

That student was Aniyah Robinson ’24, who this semester is completing her degree in Culinary Nutrition with a minor in Sommelier Management after having served as a logistics supply specialist in the U.S. Army. Robinson faced a tougher start at JWU than Howard; her start of school coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, so in-person classes quickly transitioned to online learning. Between commuting rather than living on-campus and being at a different life stage than many peers, Robinson struggled to connect with other students — but says that everything changed when she met Howard.

“She had faced many of the same challenges, and we quickly bonded over our shared experiences,” Robinson shares. “Chef Gillian became a mentor to me, and I began volunteering as a sous chef wherever she needed help. Our work together never felt like a chore; it felt like two friends pursuing their passion.”

She had launched her own personal chef business, Aniyah’s Kitchen LLC, while a student at JWU, providing services ranging from catering weddings to offering private cooking lessons. That entrepreneurial spirit was a perfect match for Howard’s.

Fostering a Love of Food and Culture

In July 2023, Howard and Robinson co-crated Junior Cultured Chefs, a kids’ camp offering STEM-based experiments, meal preparation instruction and exploration of sustainable local food systems for kids aged 7-17. Together, the pair are inspiring and educating tomorrow’s culinary stars.

“We go around to farms in Charlotte, and a beautiful community center hosts us, letting us use their teaching kitchen,” Howard explains. “The kids come for 2 hours, preparing their meals and juicing their own fresh fruits and veggies at the hydration station. It’s a beautiful time, and we teach them the importance of being together.”

The duo enjoys helping youth explore world cuisine and learn the value of community. “Each month we go to a different country and explore their cuisine, culture and language,” Howard says. “We shop the produce, prepare the meals and bring it back to the farmers to share with them.”

Robinson hadn’t previously becoming a teacher but loves her culinary educator role. “Through our collaboration, we’ve had the opportunity to teach children across Charlotte, cater large events like BayHaven [Food & Wine Festival], private parties, and much more,” she explains.

“Chef Gillian has significantly impacted my growth as both a chef and a person. She’s taught me how to manage my time effectively, especially when cooking in clients' homes, and I’ve gained invaluable skills under her guidance. I’m truly grateful for the connection we’ve built and for everything I’ve learned from her.”

Howard is equally grateful for her protégé. “With Junior Cultured Chefs, I’ve been fortunate to foster an environment where we can take our JWU skills out into the ‘real world’ and truly build and nurture community — and I’ve done it with a fellow JWU/veteran who understands the bigger picture. Love you, Chef Aniyah Robinson. We’ve been able to facilitate partnerships within the student culinarians and the various CLT communities that need them.”

Howard and Robinson are grateful to their community and to the relationships they built with the Rosa Parks Farmers Market, Harvesting Humanity, The Males Place and the Sustainability Village Partners at JCSU, all of which came together to help launch their first 6-week program and provided them with financial resources to support our vision. Now, a year later, they have created a plot for the Junior Cultured Chefs at the Be the Zen Community Garden. "Now kids can learn to plant, grow and harvest lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini & squash, bell peppers, dill, basil and habaneros!" Howard reports. "It’s a very proud moment for us as the first year when we founded JCC, Chef Aniyah and I spent the summer traveling to other urban gardens and farms to show representation and introduce the babies to food-sovereign spaces, literally and physically."

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