by Tyrus Townsend

June 6, 2016

[Passion to Purpose]: Meet Kyle Cuffie-Scott, Personal Chef and Baker

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Name: Kyle Cuffie-Scott

Profession: Personal Chef & Baker

Age: 31

I have put my passion to purpose by: Realizing I was put on this earth to do something great and that I love, which is cooking and baking.

To call Kyle Cuffie-Scott an accidental cook would be a huge mistake! The personal chef, caterer and baker is a veteran ‘taste bud maverick,’ having clocked in numerous hours and projects with Red Bull, Aramak and Mind Media, catering to influencers, socialites and executives—- all craving to devour his appetizing dishes.

Where did this love of food arise? It all started in a familiar place: home. “At a very young age I can remember cooking with my mother and grandmother for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas; the first recipe I perfected was biscuits, which surprised and delighted by grandmother. I can remember waking up before school to make breakfast, whether it was eggs or oatmeal, just to make sure I had a good meal,” he tells BE Modern Man.

Obtaining a degree from Temple University, as well as an associate’s degree in baking and pastry arts from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, he went on to have a successful career in marketing and branding working with the likes of The Status Brand Agency and 900AM-WURD Radio. But a tragic incident would happen that would help him decide his next life move.

“I decided to leave 900AM-WURD Radio because I needed to devote more time to the project I was working on. Unfortunately my cousin Darnel passed away in 2013, due to complications from AIDS, and that threw me for a loop. So I turned to baking because it helped to heal my loss.”

This effort did not go unnoticed. As the project progressed, eventually named Darnel’s Cakes, it landed Cuffie-Scott at the local farmer’s market, and it was in at that moment he realized that it was developing into something unimaginable. People visiting the booth boosted his confidence and that is when he decided there needed to be a philanthropic component to make it successful. The challenge was finding an organization to partner with, and COLOURS in Philadelphia appeared to be a perfect fit.

“My ultimate goal was to raise awareness about the disease to people, specifically African Americans, because for some reason our numbers are increasing even though we have condoms and medicines like PREP; it is still a problem,” he states.

Which is one of the reasons partnering with COLOURS in Philadelphia is all the better. “When the project was coming along, The COLOURS Organization came to mind. I would bake cupcakes and would donate a portion of the proceeds to them to help with counseling and testing efforts. They were very supportive of my initiative and I am helping them achieve their goals because Philly really needs them,” he states.

And Philly needs his KyleEATS Catering expertise. Known as the ‘City of Brotherly Love,’ Philadelphia is one of the nation’s top destinations for foodies and many find themselves eating their way through the city. “The culinary scene is amazing! There are so many different types of food—every ethnic group is represented. You can choose from fast casual to fine dining to hole-in-the-wall joints that you can’t but go to. Also there’s a great cocktail scene from specially craft to affordable drinks.”

The cultural landscape of any city is usually a great indicator of how diverse and vast the culinary scene seeps into the fabric of the community. Majority a black city, the food scene seems to lack diversity, but Cuffie-Scott remains optimistic this will soon change.

“I would change the amount of black-owned restaurants in the city. There are plenty of black chefs but most are employed at white establishments. There are take-out spots that offer African and Caribbean cuisines, but the lack of sit-down places are limited.” One of the suggestions: positive portrayals in the media. “Men of color are never championed in the mainstream media. The news tends to tell ‘safe’ stories and we need to be able to speak for ourselves and tell our own narratives. Seeing a black president should encourage all young black children to pursue whatever it is that makes them happy without a care in the world.”

What does it mean to be called a BE Modern Man? “It is honoring and empowering! I just try to do the best I can for my friends and family and validation along the way is encouraging. Viewing the website and seeing the other men showcased I was like ‘whoa.’ I don’t consider myself to have that type of talent but I am honored to recognized,” Cuffie-Scott tells BE Modern Man.

And what about his legacy? What would Cuffie-Scott love to be remembered for?

“I would like my legacy to reflect what I am known for, and that is serving beyond Philadelphia and helping better the world by assisting in the eradication of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.”

The BlackEnterprise.com team salutes Kyle Cuffie-Scott for his continued success of being a change agent for and within the HIV/AIDS community through his gift of food. We look forward to seeing the growth of KyleEATS and cannot wait to try one of his famous recipes.

For more information, visit www.KyleEats.com, follow him on Facebook.com/kyleeats, Instagram @KyleEATS and Twitter.com/KyleEATS. To follow the success of Darnel’s Cakes, visit www.DarnelsCakes.com, follow Darnel’s Cakes on Facebook.com/darnelscakes, Instagram @DarnelsCakes and Twitter.com/darnelscakes.

Bon Appétit!