At Your Request, LLC

Chef LaShanta' Le'Sure has enjoyed a robust and unique range of experience in the culinary world. Throughout her career, she has provided food service for innumerable events, from boxed lunches to formal plated affairs, and for groups of eight to 200. Her work frequently takes her beyond the walls of the traditional catering kitchen--hosting private classes as corporate team-building activities, offering unique cooking experiences to support non-profit fundraisers, presenting on the nutrition of food, and even developing a training program to help home cooks in under-served communities learn the essentials of professional cooking and, in turn, gain access to new employment opportunities. She has always drawn inspiration from the happiness and fulfillment that comes from serving delicious meals, and teaching others to do the same.

Reflecting on her wide-ranging culinary experiences, LaShanta' realized that it was in the classroom and in other very personal mentorship interactions that she found the most joy and love for her craft. She frequently quotes renowned Chef Jose Andres who said, "I don't believe I'm a chef; I try to be a storyteller." Through culinary coaching and collaboration, she seeks to teach others how food can tell stories, the role it has played in her story--and to help them tell their own stories through food.

LaShanta' received her formal training at Triton College, just outside of Chicago, where she was recognized for her strong culinary and patisserie skills, and hired shortly after graduation. She teaches a range of courses at the school, including Basic Cooking, Introductory and Advanced Baking & Pastry, Artisan Chocolates, Dining Room Service, and Catering Management. With a reputation for being not only a skilled cook, but a strong mentor and teacher, her courses frequently have lengthy wait lists.