Mavis Jay-Sanders

Mavis-Jay is a chef who wakes up every morning and strives to leave the world a little better. She is a social and racial equity activist that has dedicated her career to fighting for food justice in Black and low-income communities. Recently, the impact of her work has been increasingly recognized by the organizations that celebrate and support excellence in the industry. In March of 2022 alone, she garnered not only a feature in a collaborative exhibit between The Museum of Food & Drink (MOFAD) and The Africa Center, but a Game Changer Award by Dine Diaspora as well. As of June of, she was awarded a James Beard Foundation Award for leadership.

In a previous year, she was honored as one of Star Chefs’ New York Rising Stars. She is a James Beard Chef’s Boot Camp alum and a mentor to the James Beard Foundation’s Fellowship Program. She can also be found as a establishing board member of the Queer Food Foundation, on God’s Love We Deliver’s culinary counsel, and in the Black Farmer’s Fund pilot community.

Mavis-Jay’s food focuses on celebrating Black American heritage, joy, and a journey to reclaim Black food sovereignty. Since 2018, she has worked closely with numerous non-profit organizations to develop curriculum offering a free, paid, world class culinary and hospitality training to formerly incarcerated youth, culminating in career placement. A list of experience and accolades will never give a complete description of who a person really is. If someone wants to gain insight to the core of who Mavis-Jay is, all they would have to ask is what she wants to be when she grows up. Her answer, “a blessing.”