Interview 4: Keshia Hay
Photo by Betsy Phillips | @betsyaphillips
I love it when you meet a special person in one situation and then realize, years later, than they are back in your life in an entirely different way.
I met Keshia Hay more than a decade ago, when I was guest lecturing at a class at Franklin’s O’More College of Design (now O’More College of Architecture & Design, under the umbrella of Belmont University). As a student, Keshia stood out as someone who was smart, engaged and creative — the kind of person you knew was going to do something great.
Flash forward to four or so years ago, when my dear friend Kerry Diamond was in town to host an event for her indie food magazine, Cherry Bombe. There was Keshia, then well into a career in food, and the owner of Sip N Bite, a personal chef and catering company. Sip N Bite pairs Keshia’s amazing way with food with her love of fashion and design. The company’s events are often conceptual, featuring tablescapes with food and florals as beautiful as they are delicious (and no, that’s not a typo: Keshia uses a lot of edible flowers and their distillations).
Since then, we’ve run into each other from time to time, often at events where food or fashion are involved. I can always spot Keshia in a crowd, thanks to her signature wide-brimmed hat (more on that below). I always like hearing what she’s up to and, I’ll admit, to see what she has on. The girl has style in everything she does.
Today, with 15 years in the food industry under her belt, she’s thriving professionally, but also personally: Keshia will welcome her first child in early May.
— Libby
What’s your name?
Keshia M. Hay
Where were you born?
Nashville, TN
How long have you lived in Nashville?
All my life (insert Rose’s song from Titanic)
Which Nashville neighborhood do you live in?
Berry Hill/Melrose
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An artist, chef, fashion designer and ice skater.
What do you do now?
I’m living my dream as a private chef at my company Sip N Bite (1). I specialize in sensorial-based dining experiences. From intimate “date nights in” to my local pop-up series, Haute Thé (2), I’m sharing my love of art and design through food .
Tell us some things that are rocking your world at the moment:
To wear: My favorite piece of clothing is more like an accessory: my black, wide-brimmed hat (3), adorned with my late granny Sandra Hay’s gold leopard brooch (4). Her tail moves and she has green jeweled eyes. It’s my way of keeping her close and, I mean, I hardly go anywhere without my hat!
To eat: I really enjoyed my dining experience at Yolan here in Nashville. Their gnocchi dish is like eating little savory pillows of heaven. They garnish with fresh shaved truffles served table-side and I swear I’m lost in each bite (5).
At home: I’m a flower child. I love incorporating fresh flowers and botanicals in intentional spaces. To peek over at a random corner of your space, no matter the room, and see a pop of fresh blooms or greenery really does heighten the senses and spirit. When we move into our home (something I’m manifesting for this year!), I want to have a beautiful floral/indoor garden-type installation, as well as flowers surrounding the outside. Pro tip: I love scouring the flower section of Trader Joe’s and picking out bundles to make my own arrangements. Also, for Nashville locals: FLWR Shop is one of my other favorites for seasonal stems and gorgeous arrangements (6).
To read: I bounce between so many… Right now, I’m taking a deep dive into Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle (7).
Local haunts: I love Lou, Little Gourmand and Once Upon A Time In France. For vintage home goods and jewelry, I go to Glen & Effie and Gas Lamp Antique Mall and Gas Lamp Too. For an art experience, I love Clarence Edward’s Cë Gallery (8).
Which words best describes your personal style?
Moody and intuitive — not so much dramatic. I dress and decorate based on how I’m feeling or the energy I want to set. I can go from all monochromatic one day to mixing bold prints together the next. I love the act of “getting dressed,” even if it’s to go grocery shopping or getting ready to chef for a client. I just like to wear pieces and looks that make me feel good.
What’s the best style advice you’ve ever received or a fashion rule you live by?
Well, I’m not so keen on living by rules (it’s the rebellious Sagittarian in me). But I’ll say the best advice I’ve been given for style was from my granny, who said, “Never leave the house without earrings, clean underwear and lipstick on,” and to “Make your bed every day.” I’ve interpreted the first part in my own way, sans lipstick, but always with a full brow.
What’s your favorite piece in your closet?
Well, I’m a sucker for vintage outerwear — vintage anything, really. It’s a toss-up between two pieces, one newly acquired and the other inherited. My new piece, gifted from my darling friend Charles Brown, designer of Charles Lord, is a vintage black curly lambswool jacket with black satin lining. Stitched on the back is a bold yellow K (9).
My other favorite and most coveted piece is another inherited heirloom from my late granny, passed down from my great-aunt. It’s a vintage fur caplet with the original silk lining (10). It was owned by my granny Hay, who was an incredibly stylish woman (that’s where my personal style comes from) who was very proud of her beautifully curated closet. Honestly, I didn’t get to see her wear the capelet much, but I know it was something important to her. It has pockets on each side, and I added a vintage broach on the lapel for added sparkle. It’s a piece I reserve for very special occasions.
What’s your favorite space in your home?
Well, as much as I love my tiny little apartment kitchen, I’d say our living room is my favorite right now. It’s where most of all our natural light hits and has gotten cozier over the years (11).
What’s your favorite road trip you’ve ever taken?
I took one of my fave road trips at age 19. I was visiting my best friend Meredith in Santa Maria, California, and we took a little trip to a quaint little town called Cambria. There we visited a sweet little tea shop called
The Tea Cozy (now an online tea boutique) and indulged in our very first “high tea” to celebrate her birthday. We got to wear big fancy hats and share nibbles and their specialty blended whole teas. I was in absolute bliss and fell in love with ritual and musings of a high tea, which is an experience I offer to my clients to this day.
What’s a road trip you want to take next?
I’d love to go back to France and really experience Nice. I got to visit for less than a day, but that wasn’t enough! I’d say a very thorough trip through Nice and the French countryside in general.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever given? This is a tie. It was something I gave to my honey. He’s from Maine and grew up snowboarding. When we first started dating, I found a original vintage map (12) of one of the slopes he grew up snowboarding on! I got it framed and gave it to him as a “just because” present. He was so surprised and shocked that I found something like that! The other is actually a birthday gift I bought for myself. From the 1900’s, it’s the first diamond I’ve ever owned (13). I got it, not just to celebrate myself, but also because I have a bébé on the way and I’m making it a point to invest in heirloom pieces that I can pass down to my children. So in all it’s a gift that will continue to give.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? Another tough one! One of the best gifts I’ve received was a collective effort. My parents and grandparents helped send me to France after graduating from O’More College. It had been a long-awaited dream of mine to visit the enchanted city of Paris, and that was soon realized through an art and architecture tour of the city and other beautiful places outside of the city. This trip literally changed my life. It’s where I fully fell in love with food and all things culinary.
WILD CARD! What’s your go-to recipe for entertaining at home?
One recipe I like to pull from my repertoire is something so simple yet indulgent: brûléed Camembert with a seasonal accoutrement. It’s warm, luscious and like creme brûlée but in cheese form. When I offer this to clients, it’s typically one of the first things to go on their cheese and charcuterie boards. Here’s the recipe:
Spring Brûléed Camembert
Ingredients:
1 small or medium wheel of Camembert (can sub with brie)
1/4 cup organic brown sugar
1/4 cup wildflower honey
1/2 tsp dried food grade lavender
Pinch of black pepper
Flaked salt
Tools:
Baking sheet
Sharp kitchen knife
Blow torch
Small mixing bowl
Presentation board or platter
Directions:
Slice the top off your Camembert/brie wheel and discard. Put it on a baking sheet and place to the side. In small mixing bowl, add sugar, honey, lavender, and pinch of black pepper. Mix to form a honey paste and spread on top of the Camembert. (I like to let my cheese come to room temperature before topping with the honey paste! This ensures a creamy center with a nice crunchy top.) Take your kitchen blow torch and brûlée the top of the cheese, like you would a creme brûlée.
Present it on your fave plate, platter, or board and top with optional garnishes such as edible flowers, toasted pistachios, fresh strawberries, and fresh thyme sprigs. I also like to finish with a pinch of flakey salt to bring out the sweet honey and lavender notes along with the umami of the cheese!
Chef’s Notes
If you don’t have a kitchen blow torch — and I highly recommend that you invest in one (14) — you can do this in your oven by placing it under a broiler for a few minutes and rotating as you go. Keep a close eye to not burn or curdle the cheese.