Caribbean food has more attention in New York City than ever, and Chef Stikxz wants Caribbean chefs to turn that attention into ownership.

The culinary director at Miss Lily’s 7A and founder of the NYAM dinner series is one of six members of Adidas’ latest NYC Creative Class, announced Oct. 19. The group also includes Bronx-born producer Anysia Kym, textile artist Cyle Warner, knitwear designer Gabe Gordon, grillz design duo Bitter000000 and print studio Secret Riso Club. Adidas plans programming with the class throughout the season, with 135 Spring Street serving as a hub. Chef Stikxz is set to host a cookout as part of it.

“I think the attention Caribbean food is getting is great, but attention alone doesn’t build wealth,” she told AfroTech. “We have to think beyond getting people through the door and start thinking about ownership, scalability and creating businesses that can stand on their own for generations.”

Building her own brand while running someone else’s kitchen

Chef Stikxz said she doesn’t see a conflict between leading the kitchen at Miss Lily’s and growing her own ventures. The two come with different goals, she explained. One is her personal vision as an entrepreneur, and the other is pushing an established brand forward.

She also credited the restaurant’s trust in her ideas for the results.

“The biggest lesson in betting on myself is that I don’t have to choose between building my own legacy and contributing to someone else’s success,” she said. “I can do both by understanding my responsibilities, respecting the people I work with and being confident in the value I bring.”

What NYAM taught her about getting people to pay

NYAM and her pop-ups gave Chef Stikxz room to cook outside a traditional restaurant setup, controlling everything from the menu to the atmosphere. She said that freedom helped her build a following around her Jamaican upbringing and her point of view.

It also taught her what diners are actually paying for.

“People are willing to pay for a feeling as much as they are for a meal,” she said. “The food has to be excellent, of course, but the experience around it matters.”

That only works with discipline on the back end, she added.

“Creativity needs structure behind it. You have to understand your costs, price your offering properly, know your audience and deliver consistently,” she said. “Having a great idea is one thing. Turning it into something people value enough to pay for, return to and tell others about is where the real business comes in.”

Chef Stikxz said the draw was cultural. Adidas has long been tied to Jamaican music, sport and street style, which she called a personal connection.

As for how she picks brand partners, she said visibility isn’t enough.

“I want to work with brands whose history, values and cultural influence align with who I am,” she said. “I’m not interested in doing something just for visibility. It has to feel authentic to me and what I represent.”

“Not just a seat at the table”

For Caribbean chefs to turn this moment into lasting wealth, Chef Stikxz said they need to own their concepts, protect their intellectual property and find revenue beyond the restaurant itself. She also said chefs need to know their numbers as well as they know their food.

“You can be an incredible chef, but if you don’t understand your numbers, your brand and how to build something sustainable, it becomes difficult to turn success into long-term wealth,” she said.

She pointed to chefs including Nicola Blaque, Andre Fowles, Kwame Onwuachi and Renee Blackman as people already laying the groundwork, and said there’s no need for competition among them.

“There’s room for all of us to win,” she said. “The next step is making sure we have ownership in that future, not just a seat at the table.”