Tatiana Nicholls

Miami, Florida

Lokal Eats, Lokal Kitchen, Lokal Trends, Cookinat

Instagram: @nicholls24 @lokal_eats @lokalkitchen_ @lokaltrends_ @cookinat

*Changemakers is a Cross Cultures series spotlighting inspiring women who are creating and doing in the F&B ecosystem; eading the way and helping better the world.

Originally from Armenia, Colombia– Tatiana Nicholls has been living in the US for 13 years, with her home base being Miami. She started Lokal Eats in 2015 as a guide for the Latin community and those traveling to Miami on where to eat in the city She was awarded Best South Florida Blogger 2017 by South Florida Bloggers.

In 2018, she created Lokal Kitchen, where she invites some of her favorite chefs in Miami to create multi-course gastronomic experiences in a private space for “Miami foodies to enjoy, laugh and eat [in a] home away from home.”

She recently joined Cookinat, a mobile app that connects chefs and diners to cook at homes or for special events throughout the US and Canada. This is especially beneficial for chefs who may have lost their jobs because of the pandemic and for foodies who are not comfortable leaving their homes.

Tell us about you. Where were you born, raised, and what you are making or doing at present?

My name is Tatiana Nicholls. I’m originally from Armenia, Quindío, located in the coffee region of Colombia. I’ve been living in the USA for the last 13 years. I’ve been a food blogger since 2015. Lokal_eats was my first project in Miami which in large part, is directed to the Latin community and those who arrive to the city without having a useful guide of places to eat. There’s nothing like feeling like a local in an unknown city, so I give the best recommendations of local places in the city.

After 3 years with Lokal Eats, I decided it was time to create my own experiences. Therefore, Lokal Kitchen was born! I invite my favorite chefs to share unforgettable experiences in my kitchen. Intimate dinners that define their cuisine, and opportunities for Miami foodies to enjoy, laugh and eat well.

Just a couple of month ago my partner asked me to be part of Cookinat, a platform for foodies and chefs that was recently launched, it’s a mobile app service to connect chefs with diners through the platform. It’s a service that allowed diners to find chefs to cook at their homes or for special events.

How did you end up working at your present career? How long have you been doing this/ When did you start?

All my life, I’ve been a big-time foodie and a passionate explorer for good gastronomy. Five years ago, I decided to start with my blog as a hobby posting all my restaurant and food recommendations. After 2 years of doing it, it became my full-time job. Since, I’ve been developing new projects all related with chefs, gastronomy and restaurants.

What was the biggest challenge you have faced?

The biggest challenge was to leave my past job to start my own business. When you work at a company, you have absolute security to receive a monthly payment. While my own company started to work, it was difficult, but now I can say it was worth it. Because I end up doing and living of what I’m really passionate about.

How/ what did you do to get over it?

Not giving up and being patient. There were days that I was thinking about finding a job [once again] and quitting my passion, but I didn’t give up, and I keep believing in what I do. So, I guess being persistent and professional in what you do is crucial to achieving anything in life.

What is the best advice you can give to anyone wanting to get into or excel in your field?

To be constant, persistent, professional, and believe in yourself. We can achieve anything when it is made with passion.

What is your favorite thing about your culture or living in your city?

I love being Colombian because I consider that it’s a very friendly culture. The family union is essential, so I like spending time at Christmas every year in my country with my family. But Miami doesn’t make me feel far from home because there’s a lot of Latin people and culture in this city, plus you get to know people from everywhere. And you can also find all the Colombian products and food in the city.

How did you spend your days during this COVID-19 quarantine period?

I spend the first 9 weeks in Atlanta, I went for the weekend, and I end up stuck in there. It was nice because I spend some time with my family, but I wasn’t working for a while. Then I returned to Miami, and I decided to continue making my private dinners with all the safety precautions. I even moved to a bigger space. People felt more comfortable sharing with just the people they knew. Even my partner asked me to be part of the new project Cookinat app in the middle of the pandemic, so it wasn’t that bad in the end.

Please tell us about Cookinat. How will it be able to help both diners and chefs especially during this COVID-19 period?

Cookinat is a platform for people in the USA and Canada to access chefs to cook at their homes and for special events. You can choose the date, the style of cuisine, price, and menu you want.

This app is also handy for chefs because they can manage their schedules. They can get some extra money on free days, or if they have their own business, they can promote themselves through the platform. If the chef decides to spend some time in another city, they can still work, thereby changing the address.

So, during the pandemic, it’s a handy tool because some chefs lose their jobs, and some diners don’t feel comfortable leaving their homes.