Syerra Donaldson was raised by her great grandparents and grandmother in Miami Gardens, Florida. But when she graduated with her Master’s degree in social work, she moved out to Arizona where she knew she would make more money in her field. At the time, a good friend of hers was going through a breakup, so Donaldson invited her to live with her in Arizona, where she could heal and refresh her mind. Then the pandemic hit.
Donaldson wanted to cheer up her friend during the shutdown, but the grocery store was the only place open. So she began walking up and down the food aisles looking for inspiration. She would go home, cook up what she imagined, and plate it like it was meant to be in a magazine, leaving it at her friend’s door. On the third day, her friend emerged and told Donaldson she had been taking pictures of her amazing dishes.
She began recording Donaldson cooking and pushed her to start posting her meals on social media. One of those early dishes was fried crab legs over dirty rice with a butter cream sauce. What began as a healing gesture between friends turned into the start of Easy Cooking with Sy, where Donaldson naturally combines her Jamaican and Cuban roots with American influences to create food that is made with love.
When her great grandfather called during the pandemic and said that he missed her energy, Donaldson decided to come home. But even before she moved away, she had told herself, “If I ever go back to Miami, I have to start a business.” Not only is the city expensive, but she wanted to be able to take care of herself and her family now.
Once she started selling her food, it wasn’t long before Donaldson was invited to be on an episode of the Food Network’s “Supermarket Stakeout.” She won the contest. Today, she is operating her catering business out of her own ghost kitchen, all while working as a contract therapist and completing her doctorate.
Donaldson believes that her two professional passions are more alike than different, so much so that her dissertation is on food and therapy. She believes, “Food is everything. It affects the way you think, the way you live. Food is our entire makeup.” Wellness is important to Donaldson and she wants her food to be good for you, whether that’s by cooking with less salt and sugar or tailoring ingredients for different health conditions.
In addition to catering, she is now offering one-on-one and group cooking classes. “If I can show you how to eat, I can change your entire life,” she says. “People will live better, longer and happier lives.” Donaldson tells her students that they need to love what they’re doing in the kitchen. She believes that food is energy, so the mood that someone is in when they cook matters. “People can taste love,” she says.
After she graduates, Donaldson would like to create a wellness space that offers therapy and teaches people about food through mindful cooking classes. She even plans to write her own books on food as therapy. While she feels it has always been her nature to serve others, Donaldson says the most rewarding part of starting her own business has been seeing herself “transition into a powerhouse.” She knows the little girl inside of her is so proud of everything she has accomplished.
AUTHOR
Ashley is a writer and teacher living in Florida. When she isn't reading or writing, you can find her in the kitchen experimenting with a new recipe, on the yoga mat in downward dog, or lost out in nature with her family.
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