By Kiara Doyal, The Portland Medium
Last week, Kitchen Killa Culinary Solutions, a full-service luxury catering and private chef company, in partnership with State Representative Travis Nelson, hosted a community cookout and clothing drive at George Park in the St. Johns neighborhood.
Chef Kiara “Kitchen Killa” Hardy and friends, many of whom are local business owners, were able to serve 393 meals to families and individuals in need from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. With the help of local churches, non-profit leaders like Portland O.I.C. President and C.E.O. Joe McFerrin II, and media personalities like Tra Renee Chambers, Hardy accomplished her goal of serving free lunch to single mothers, at-risk LGBTQ+ teens, housing vulnerable youth, and seniors.
In addition to serving lunch and drinks, as well as giving away clothes, the Portland Trailblazers’ official disc jockey, DJ OG One, provided music, making it a fun time for everyone in attendance. Folks brought their friends, kids, pets, and even lawn chairs, making an afternoon out of all the festivities.
Kitchen Killa Culinary Solutions is a proud Black, Woman, LGBT-owned small business that values employing and serving all those who identify within the communities in which we occupy. Currently headquartered in Oregon, where she continues to provide private chef services to several high-profile Portland residents including professional athletes, coaches, and television executives, Hardy’s determination does not end there. Wearing many hats, Hardy also handles the demands of her Florida clientele by successfully staffing local chefs for weddings, corporate events, and other private affairs in her home state, while still maintaining an excellent culinary experience for residents in Northwest Oregon.
The Kitchen Killa team provides premium catering, private and personal chef services, as well as food service consulting services. Known to create “sophisticated comfort food” by blending culinary favorites with inspiration and influence from around the world, Hardy and her team also provide services for galas.
Hardy has been using food to share love and bring joy to family, friends, and clients for over 10 years. Throughout the past years, Hardy was able to perfect her Frenchy Fry seasoning as well as her signature pop-up dinners and brunches that made headlines in both the Willamette Weekly and PDX Eater.
This inaugural Kitchen Killa Community Cookout was an opportunity for underserved individuals and families to enjoy a free meal cooked with love by the Kitchen Killa chef team. Sharing a meal with others created a space to establish deeper connections while fostering togetherness.
“We just wanted to feed folks, on purpose. We wanted to not just drop off leftovers from a catered event but to actually be intentional about serving the community. And it was simple; no registration required. Guests were encouraged to simply give thanks and enjoy,” says Hardy.
Thanks to the support of local BIPOC-owned businesses and organizations including DB Dessert Company, DNA Consulting, The Kidz Outside, KF Curates, Press Release Marketing, Arden Event Collective, DJ OG ONE, Small and Mighty Events & Balloon, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, and All N Haul, all event guests received a meal and good vibes.
