THE CHEF

Meet Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant

Shanita McAfee-Bryant, also known as ‘Chef Shanita,’ has been passionate about cooking since she was a young girl. With her father’s creativity and her mother’s sense of tradition, watching her family in the kitchen was her first taste of a passion that would become her purpose. 

From checking out cookbooks and training manuals at the library, to thinking up innovative recipes in her room, 13-year-old Shanita was on her way to becoming more than just a dreamer.

Her interest in cooking went from her family’s kitchen to high school cooking classes, where she was able to experience formal culinary education for the first time. While she was in high school, she found out that she was going to become a young mother, which only fueled her drive to make it and realize her childhood culinary dreams.

Shanita graduated from the culinary program at Johnson County Community College in 2004, when she officially earned the title of “Chef Shanita.”

Chef Shanita brought her knives to Cutthroat Kitchen, where she proved her talent by winning the popular Food Network show, and the rest is history. 

She opened her first restaurant, Magnolia’s, launched a successful food truck, and eventually came back to her passion of helping and inspiring others through food. 

Chef Shanita is the founder and executive director at The Prospect Urban Eatery. She is skilled and experienced in event planning, catering, menu creation, budget management, fundraising, community outreach, and restaurant development. With more than 20 years of experience in the kitchen, Chef Shanita is passionate about helping others achieve their culinary dreams, and believes that with authenticity, passion, and drive, you’re capable of anything.