Meet Mallorey Atkins | Executive Chef/Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mallorey Atkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mallorey, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m from Callisburg Texas with a population of 300, and attended Gainesville School District. Gainesville is not known for a culinary scene and is a “Chef forsaken” town. Honestly, I did not even know what a Chef was until I decided to go to culinary school. In my home town I’m considered a great cook that started at a very young age.

So as you can imagine I thought culinary school would be easy! Then I quickly found out that culinary school is full of others who are also considered great cooks in there hometowns, and even had some professional training before attending. I was on the bottom. They made me feel behind but it only made me work harder like my family raised me to do.

I watched my folks work hard for little pay while raising my brother and I. Creativity is not invited where I’m from, but my father is highly creative so I got that side from him. I was such an odd bird in school and absolutely had did not fit into to the small square. My mom had to push me to “Think like a normal person”. I am grateful that it eventually clicked even though it wasn’t until after High School. I was born to work, and have a soul longed for cooking and creating new things on a daily basis.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Chef Cowgirl, thats me!, is a Full Service Catering Company. My escape is spending time in my garden and love sharing the fresh organic produce with Y’all! I am sourcing more and more from local farms and have seasonal menus. I also love to create menus to fit your personal and unique party needs.

I got to where I am today with the love and support from my family and friends, hard work, and my overflowing passion. Some people have given me grief because I chose an unpaid Apprenticeship for my Externship in Culinary School for Chef Pete Catering. I chose that because of my love for Ice Carving and working with chainsaws, but what I got that is worth more than money is learning the business inside and out. I learned how I could open my business without investors and getting into debt, and I used part of that mentality and more of what I had picked up from other Chefs along the way to design my business structure that worked for my personal needs. Of course my no debt no investor structure means it took me longer to get to where I am but I am in complete control of my business. Imagine how bad of condition I’d be in had I had debt and investors when COVID hit!

What I have learned along the way is to listen to my gut. When I make a mistake , its on me. When I make a mistake because I listen to someone else that hits me even harder.

I won a free mentorship from Melissa Wagner who is responsible for making my logo. I am know to be all over the place and it can confuse people who do not know me. Melissa has worked with me on pulling things out of my head and putting it in a format that makes sense to others. Who am I? I am a small town county girl with big city Chef dreams. I like to utilize local farms and fresh seasonal food so we can grow as a community, eat like a family, and share my love on a plate.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First of all my friend needs to have some good Texas BBQ. I would take them to Hutchins BBQ in Mckinney, go 2 Stepping at Cowboy’s Red River in Dallas, and go the Ft. Worth Stock Yards, and maybe even stop at Martin House Brewery in Ft. Worth. I like to take friends to my hometown and visit Lavender Ridge Farms in Gainesville, swing over to Circle N Dairy Farms in Lindsay for some non-pasteurized milk and dairy products, get some Chicken Pepper Balls from Dieter Bros made by Bayers Bakery in Muenster, and on the way back home eat at Babe’s in Sanger, watch the servers do the Chicken Dance and Hokey Pokey, and if we are lucky they will sing a couple of songs.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Deanna McNeill (Mom) Chef Connie Akins Mullins (Chef Mom)
Ahmad Farahani (FOH Mentor)
Melissa Wagner (Business/Branding Mentor)

Support from Le Dames D’Escoffier
and Texas Chefs Association

Website: farmtobelly.com

Email: Chef@thefarmtobelly.com

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