BY SHELBY TUTTLE
Within moments of meeting Mavis-Jay Sanders, it was obvious that hospitality
is in her DNA. On a sunny day in June at a relaxed cocktail joint in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, she greeted my friend and me with a broad smile and warm hug. That to celebrate Mavis-Jay’s minute” Queers at Beards” event — the only celebration dedicated to James Beard Foundation gay nominees during James Beard weekend — I was my chef friend’s plus one, happily tagging along to revel in some of the best food and drink a girl could dream of.  ,
By the time we got there, the party was in full swing and Mavis-Jay pleasantly flitted from group to group as a brilliant hostess, expertly welcoming new visitors in one breath and wishing others a heartfelt goodbye in the future. Her energy is all at once sweet and sparkling, prepared and self-assured — her very presence commands your
attention. What possibly struck me most about my new acquaintance is that I could really feel the natural goodness of her soul.
A Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, Sanders has held coveted positions at two-MICHELIN star ( and one MICHELIN Green Star ) -rated Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Danny Meyer’s now-shuttered Untitled at the Whitney. While fine dining was when her focus, a number of negative experiences slowly discolored her view of the industry.
” I had issues with getting my foot in the door”, she says. In one instance, Sanders remembers auditioning for a basic line cook position, in which she had to complete two one-day trials, followed by another whole week of trials — all paid — to prove that she could “handle the job”. However, her light hetero male counterparts with similar experience were tested less, usually being offered positions after only a one-day trial. Sanders was also passed over for wide education opportunities with purveyors and another chefs. She notes that people often want to mentor those in whom they see themselves, and gay Black female chefs are a rarity in the great dining realm.  ,
The actual turning point for Sanders came in 2014, when the streets of New York
were flooded with protestors shouting” I can’t breathe” in response to Eric Garner’s murder by an Undercover police officer. She remembers not being able to hear the protests from within the high-end restaurant where she worked, as patrons spent the equivalent of a month’s rent on bottles of wine, blissfully unaware of the chaos ensuing outside. It was then that she began to question why she was filtering all of her energy into an exclusive industry that, by its very nature, left out but several.  ,
Immediately, she began to turn her attention to learning all she could about food justice and social equity, diving into various projects that sought not only to feed
but also empower marginalized communities and facilitate lasting change. In 2022, Sanders was awarded a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award for her work with Drive Change, an organization dedicated to creating employment pathways in the culinary industry for originally imprisoned youth. Her long — and impressive — resume reflects the size of her heart, illustrating a journey through food that is marked by a strong commitment to nourishing both the bodies and souls of those she boldly serves.
In 2024 only, Sanders ‘ work continued to transcend the standard kitchen and engage communities through her participation as a speaker and/or chef at both intimate gatherings and large-scale events, most often benefiting nonprofit organizations near and dear to her heart.
In September, she served as one of three contained chefs at the IndigeHub Dinner on the Navajo Nation in Window Rock, Arizona. A celebration of Indigenous traditions, the event highlighted a commitment to sustainable food practices and lasting partnerships to promote food sovereignty in Maori communities. ” The farmers on the reservation were nothing short of amazing — excellent, good, and deeply connected to the land”, she notes.
” They welcomed us to their farm, where we harvested the ingredients that would ultimately make their way into the dinner. After a whole day of preparation, we served
a stunning four-course meal to about 30 Indigenous community members, including activists, farmers, and elders” . ,
She continues,” What made this dinner stand out was the opportunity to reverse the usual narrative. Normally, when Aboriginal people are part of a dining experience, they are educating others about their traditions and advocating for the rights and practices that have been stolen from them. This time, we had the honor of serving them while they celebrated. It was a moment of rest and joy, and being ready to nurture that space felt like a privilege I’ll carry with me permanently”.
In addition to lending her culinary talents to a myriad of events around the country, Sanders also serves as a consultant to several organizations that strive to uplift vulnerable populations. Her dedication extends to organizations like God’s Love We Deliver, where she serves on the cooking council and contributes to the mission of serving meals to house-bound individuals with debilitating illnesses through fundraising, volunteering, and raising awareness.  ,
Her latest work with Harlem Children’s Zone has allowed her to hone her skills as a consultant while opening her eyes to new challenges. ” Coming from a background rooted in separate restaurants, stepping into school systems that serve anywhere from 1, 200 to 2, 500 kids daily has been both humbling and challenging”, she says. ” These programs are responsible for delivering breakfast and lunch to hundreds, maybe thousands of students each day — a scale I hadn’t worked with before” . ,
These, Sanders notes that she trains school chefs not only to refine their skills but also to recognize the value of their contributions and develop a sense of pride in their work. ” It’s remarkable to see the shift when a team starts to recognize that their work fed whole communities and their efforts really matter”. Sanders ‘ commitment to community also extends to her role on the Black Farmer Fund Investment Committee, comprised of farming and food business community members from the organization’s earlier pilot programs, as well as new members representing states across the Northeast.
Together, the committee is working to reimagine intergenerational wealth within Black food systems, and Sanders finds inspiration and great education in the generational connections and shared knowledge within this space.
” The Black Farmer Fund is a testament to the power of community-driven solutions and the brilliance of those working to create profound change”, she says. For Sanders, lasting change is woven into the ethos of sustainability. ” When I think about sustainability, I realize that it’s not enough to simply maintain the status quo. Real sustainability must evolve into something deeper — thoughtfulness within a renewable ecosystem. It’s about creating systems that don’t really sustain, but constantly replenish, reinvest, and regenerate within our communities”, she shares. ” For me, sustainability isn’t only about environmental practices — it’s about ensuring that future generations have something valuable to inherit: pride, legacy, and the tools to thrive. Resiliency and ingenuity have always been at the core of Black American survival and success” . ,
Looking forward, Sanders is embarking on exciting new projects. Her upcoming traveling pop-up series, Church &, Liquor, will explore Black American heritage, joy, and historical resilience. Inspired by a customer who compared Sanders ‘ new sold-out pop- up dinner to “going to church”, the series promises to be a celebration of nourishment an community. She is even gearing up for the 3rd Annual Queers at Beards event during James Beard weekend in June, and plans to continue her work with charter school cooking teams, with a focus on team building and management coaching. For more information, visit www. chefmavisjay .com.
