Chef Olushola Wadley

Olushola (Ola) Wadley, Afro-Caribbean Chef/Food Stylist Associate and James Beard Fellow. With vast culinary experience and worldly travels, she cooks and captures beauty, culture, and flavors in food.

According to Chef Olushola Wadley, food isn’t just her career, it’s the great love of her life. Ola remembers her mother encouraging her to try all kinds of new foods and cuisines, from curry chicken with rice in her home kitchen, to sushi and Chinese roast duck at restaurants around New York City. After her mother’s passing, Ola decided to pursue cooking as a livelihood, training in high school and eventually earning a scholarship to attend the Culinary Institute of America. After graduating, she worked at prominent restaurants like Marcus Sammuelson’s Red Rooster, Executive Chef Shenari Freeman’s Cadence, catering companies, Rhys Powell’s Red Rabbit, a culinary social justice organizations, at Food52 and at The Kitchn as a food stylist associate throughout NYC. Ola is focused on bringing her experience of research & development and love for cooking and styling, all while incorporating her heritage into the art of food styling.