QC Metro — Faces of Bayhaven

Chefs Reyaña Radcliff and Candice Johnson are bringing New Orleans flavor to Charlotte this week at BayHaven Food and Wine Festival.

They have nearly 40 years of cooking experience between them, with Radcliff having about 17 years and Johnson having 20. They met through their daughters, who attended the same daycare.

“We just kept seeing each other in chef coats,” said Radcliff. From there, they formed a friendship and began to work with each other on cooking projects.

When not prepping for a festival like BayHaven, Radcliff provides catering through her business, Your Braisen Chef.

Radcliff, a New Orleans native, said they have an “unspoken rhythm” when working on big projects like the upcoming BayHaven Food and Wine Festival. The festival will bring together 100 Black chefs from across the country to celebrate Black food and culture.