“I want to be fulfilled. I want to be inspired. I want to wake up every day and love what I do. How do I get there. What do I love? I love to travel. I love food. I love to learn. And I love to fully immerse myself in culture.” ~ Chef Amy Sins
Subscribe Now!
When I was in New Orleans for our WanderTours Culinary Tour, I had the chance to sit down with Chef Amy Cyrex Sins. Amy has been an integral and, as you’ll hear, very fun part of our New Orleans tours for about four years. I discovered her when I wanted to incorporate a cooking class into our itinerary. There were other options in the city but I was really drawn to Amy because she wasn’t churning out cooking classes for the masses like some other schools.
Not only was I excited about supporting a woman-owned business, but I wanted to give our tour participants a true experience, an opportunity to meet some locals and be exposed to someone who truly epitomizes the heart and soul of New Orleans.
Amy’s business has changed since I first met her. She started with an actual culinary school, a brick and mortar business where all of her classes were held with many of them incorporating hands-on cooking. But, as you’ll hear in our conversation, her business model has changed to accommodate what she observed many of her clients wanted. They were looking for connection and stories and the desire to learn–without being “taught.”
I’ve been traveling to New Orleans since the late 80s and have met a lot of residents during that time. And I can attest to the fact that, on SO many levels, Amy epitomizes what New Orleans is all about. She’s fun-loving, vivacious, easy-going and really just down-right endearing.
This conversation ranks up there as one of the most fun I’ve had with anyone, anywhere. Amy had me laughing at her stories and at what she calls the dysfunction of New Orleans.
We touched upon a number of topics including how she left her well-paying job to pursue what she wanted to do when she grew up, how Hurricane Katrina played a part in that decision, why a deadline is important to making something happen and how once you make a decision, you can’t go back to your old ways because that way then looks so unfulfilling.
We also talk about her embracing what she calls Adventure Therapy. Something that she consciously chose to do after her mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and she talks about the adventures they had together before her recent passing.
Connect with Amy
Langlois | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Mentioned in this episode
Ruby Slippers Cookbook by Amy Cyrex Sins
Other things you might find interesting
The Food Lab Cookbook
If God is Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise (documentary about Hurricane Katrina)
Connect with me
You can friend me on Facebook and follow me on Instagram. Ladies, join our Be Bold Facebook community where you’ll find support, encouragement and inspiration from other women doing their best to Be Bold.
Be Bold,
Beth
Leave a Reply