Aladdin Campus Dining is proud to announce that Aladdin Chef and Catering Manager Chakakhan Fuller-Howard of Albany State University (ASU) in Albany, GA, will be honored for her culinary work at The National Black Chef’s Awards on February 24, 2024, during their annual meeting in Chicago.
Ms. Fuller-Howard was nominated for her hard work, efforts and dedication to The National Black Chef’s Association (NBCA) and to historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) such as Albany State, a nationally top-ranked HBCU that serves an increasingly diverse student body and community. Ms. Fuller-Howard’s culinary skills, catering and artistic displays create a delicious and unique dining experience for students, faculty, and guests who seek out her talents!
“My journey into the kitchen began at the young age of 6 and it quickly turned from a chore of setting a family dinner table to one of my greatest passions – cooking! Coming from a family of great cooks, including my mother, grandmother, and aunts. Fun Fact: my grandfather was a terrific baker, he could bake anything from scratch,” says Ms. Fuller-Howard.
Ms. Fuller-Howard joined Aladdin Campus Dining in 2023 where in just a short time with ASU, has helped to elevate the catering experience for both students and guests. At ASU, Ms. Fuller-Howard has catered for groups with as many as 400 people and designed food displays as large as 60 feet long.
In fact, Ms. Fuller-Howard’s carefully curated table displays posted on social media caught the attention of Master Chef Bernard Tally, the NBCA’s corporate executive chef. Without ever having tasted Fuller-Howard’s food, he called her to say she had to be nominated for an NBCA award for her beautiful displays. Fuller-Howard said Talley told her presentation was everything and deserved to be seen.
Ms. Fuller-Howard will be attending the awards ceremony along with another honoree Unique Pierce, an ASU student who won the Student Iron Chef competition recently sponsored by Aladdin Campus Dining and the ASU Office of Student Engagement.
Ms. Fuller-Howard attended Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta and owned and operated her own catering business called Uniquely Different Catering & More. She has traveled throughout Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas making everything from soul food to taco bars to grazing tables filled with vibrant fruit displays!
Ms. Fuller-Howard was also honored to cook and plate at the “Taste of Atlanta.” She also worked alongside celebrity chefs at “Feed the Children of Atlanta.”
“It’s an honor and a privilege to work and serve with my passion on a daily basis. I take great pride and joy in every meal we serve here. Now I know what people mean when they say, find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life,” she says.
