A few weeks ago, I was listening to a podcast interview with a famous actress. Although she had been taking a break from Hollywood for almost a decade, she consistently had roles written for her, which she rejected.

In spite of the actress’s many years of ignoring Tinseltown, producers would have her back. One producer kept the doors open by continuing to write roles for her. And after many offers, the actress agreed to take a leading role in the producer’s next film.

As I listened to the interview, I thought to myself, Wow, that’s powerful. She had a network of producers who were looking out for her. They consistently protected her by keeping the doors of economic opportunities open in case she ran into economic difficulty in her non-Hollywood work.

A handful of Haitians are getting this network idea right. They are genuinely coming to the conclusion that we are what we’ve got, and it’s important to rise and succeed together.

I am not sure that was Chef Thia’s intention, but through the power of God and her strong faith in Him, she started growing her food platform and businesses. And she was answering the question for us on how we succeed collectively while putting it into practice.

Although food is her therapy, she credits God for everything in her life. She is quick to tell you that if it were not for God, she would never be able to weather the many storms and personal tragedies she’s experienced as a young sexual violence survivor and a single mother. Still, she continues to thrive and give to others.

What if the Haitian community had more people like her, people who didn’t see it as a threat for others to succeed? Instead, she makes a habit of opening the doors for others while she is building her own table (pun intended).

What would happen if we had hundreds of Chef Thias opening doors for others?

What would that look like, in spite of our small community?

I, for one, have benefited from her open-door generosity policy. Upon learning last year that I was expanding my work to help connect Haitian-influenced products with stores and the diaspora in New York, she quickly reached out to me and connected me with two dynamic Haitian business owners. And now I am thrilled to support her as she works to grow her high-quality and natural Chef Thia spices.

It’s also common to see her opening doors for others through her Chef Thia channel on YouTube. She routinely introduced and supported the talents of Haitian professionals and business owners on her show prior to COVID-19, and she continues to do so for free.

And this is not to say that you should reach out to her for free publicity, but if you are from the Caribbean, and you want to work with her on her show, she will work with you, because she knows what it’s like to struggle to build a business from scratch without a trust fund. You can reach out to her directly on her website.

My connection to Chef Thia…

I met Chef Thia several years ago when we were both interviewed on the Legacy of 1804 podcast about our work in the Haitian community.

We are both passionate about Haiti, and we care deeply about what happens to our country and our people. And we were both developing our own platforms doing what we know.

Chef Thia has been building her platform through the power of food, business, and education, whereas I’ve been building mine through the power of a pen, a blog, and my voice.

After the Legacy of 1804 interview  we started following each other’s work, and we stayed connected and have supported one another’s efforts.

Chef Thia’s care for the health and well-being of her people are two of the things that drive her as a chef. She has used her passion for food and her ability to connect with her people to create something valuable for us in how we cook.

In my kitchen, I have replaced the spices I used to buy from Trader Joe’s with those from Chef Thia. It makes me happy to know that I am supporting another high-quality Haitian product.

After my Chef Thia Signature Spice Mix ran out a few months ago, I’ve been waiting for a new shipment. She has had to readjust her production and shipment processes due to COVID-19.

The wait is over…

Over the last two years, Chef Thia has given few interviews, but I managed to schedule a thirty-minute phone conversation with her to talk about life and her new spices.

She has poured out her heart, soul, and financial means to rejuvenate her packaging, and she has added a new L’Ocean Spice Mix to her natural spices line.

The spices are ready to be ordered here. 

She has revamped the entire packaging and added a special non-toxic aluminum cover to further protect the spices.

I love the spices so much that I plan to include them with the other high-end products for which I am creating a distribution channel, in addition to selling them here on the blog below.

The spices sell really fast. So, if you want to order yours today, you can click below.  

We are growing as a Haitian community in all the best ways. We are seeing that our best hope is us. It will not be from strangers. 

I believe in the quality of her spices so much that I am including a 100% 30-day money-back guarantee. If, upon receiving your spice mix, you don’t like it, just return it to me, and I will return the money with no questions asked.

As you think about how you take care of your health and the quality of the spices you use, I’d like to encourage you to support Chef Thia by making her spice mixes the new natural ingredients in your home.

To order today, click here.

About the author: Daniella Bien-Aime is a Haitian blogger and the owner of Bien-Aime Post. Her platform focuses on elevating Haiti and its Haitian diaspora. She writes content for Haitian and Caribbean-influenced businesses.In addition, she helps connect buyers and sellers to expand their specialty products’ physical and distribution footprint. You can connect with her directly through her website at Bien-Aime Post or on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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