Rising Stars: Meet Carl Leatherberry Jr.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carl Leatherberry Jr.  

Hi Carl, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in St. Louis, MO, where I first developed the love to cook. My grandmother told my mom I was her baby, so I spent most of my earlier years around one of the best cooks Missouri had to offer, “my ganny” That’s what I called her lol at that time, “Ganny. I remember every morning the fruits & nuts truck came down the ally way at 6 am sharp; I was always “Ganny ganny can you buy me a pineapple please”! Sometimes she would say we don’t have the money, but she always seem to finds some coins somewhere $.75 cents, that’s was price back then; I wanted that pineapple so bad the truck driver would give her free pineapples sometimes if I wouldn’t cry lol they where so good. My grandmother started teaching me how to make casserole pot pies, fresh made dough boiled chicken with mirepoix, peas, and a creamy roux, a fresh beginning with a beautiful ending. The first dinner I ever cooked for her was a spaghetti sandwich. She laugh so hard, it was a memory that made that sandwich popular with the whole family. I love Italian food in fact; my grandmother worked as a maid for an Italian family for 30+ years; the mother of that family taught her how to make dish after dish from their culture over the years; my ganny would recreate them to fit a soul food type of feel like fried fish and spaghetti with homemade cornbread oh my goodness! I was also taught by my mom and her sister’s how to make big Thanksgiving meals from scratch, but there’s one sister I use to babysit for, my aunty Liz, and she showed me how to make some of the best St. Louis-style ribs you could ever have in your life with a special BBQ sauce that’s now a family secret. Not knowing those lessons would help me later in life I also loved music just as much putting my own album out in 2003 and getting me, my sister & brother a deal with Atlantic Records in 2006 that was brief, a long story but, anyway. I knew I needed something to fall back on, which had always been my love for creating meals for the family, famous or not, that’s what I would have done “Cook.” One day I had a dream about a BBQ pit; when I woke up, I told my wife about the dream, and she told me to draw it, so I did,3weeks later I had it built, just as I dreamed, the man who built it, put it together almost perfect. With that grill & a small catering company (named “The Gourmet Experience”) me, my wife, and my daughter paid my way through culinary school, BBQing on the conner of 7 mile and Telegraph in Detroit city at the Glory’s supermarket, 4 years later my wife passed away from sickle cell, 3 weeks after my grandmother passed away at the age of 96, while I was at my grandmother’s funeral, my 14-year-old daughter was murdered with her mom in their apartment. I would never look at life the same after that. While I was attending school Chef Ernesto Antopia from Cafe Cortina called the college looking for new interns, I was mention by the directors to do an externship there, and Chef Ernesto accepted, and my career was born. The Tonon family from Italy took me in with open arms to be a part of Cafe Cortina’s extended family of chefs, kind of like my grandmother huh working with an Italian family seems as if it was meant to be; funny how life works right. I’ve received a gold metal with the American Culinary Federation, Outstanding Student Award from The Michigan Chef De Cuisine, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd metals in cooking throughout school. Those women were the real ingredients in my life, and still are, but no family secret just a recipe for my life now a pound of smiles, a cup of fun, a pinch of friendship, and a whole heap of “love”. I’ve heard the phase ‘Diamond in the ruff, but the thought of ‘Hidden Gem that’s a good one. Thank you, Ms. Jessica, for the opportunity to express my story. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My road, well let’s say potholes, bumps, ditches, roads blocks you name it. My mom use to say there’s a different between being Poor” and ” Po. We moved to Detroit in the Herman Garden Project when she left my dad, and times was hard for the next 10+ years. Hardly no food, barely a place to live, seeing things I can never forget. Later I was in a car accident that could have taking my life but instead, I lost sight in my left eye completely. I was beat by the police; I guess trying to make an example of me; if I didn’t have cameras, they would have got away with it. Besides, nothing can compare to the loss of my family. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Since school, I’ve been with Cafe Cortina, now their Sous Chef. Specializing in Italian foods. Every morning I come in I start making fresh pasta by hand tagalinni, tagatelle, stuff tortaloni, ravioli, ghoche cutting the different shapes & sizes, rolling & stretching; it’s like therapy to me now, keeping my mind creative and thinking of new ways to present it on the plate. I cut 90% of the meat not because I have to but because I want to. A sharp knife makes it so much better to get prime-looking cuts that grace the plate so beautiful; I love the reaction from the guest, “Oohh, awww, woow, that looks very good.” Then when they taste, I can see how their eyes roll back into their taste buds and the smile on their faces that I did a fine job, that makes me happy and warm inside. I’ve always been known as a ” Flavor Builder,” I will use diffirent root vegetable, spices, herbs, stocks, and sauces and leave your taste buds saying what is that have you ever had a dish wherever bit is so delightful, and different you can’t stop eating it. I can stand proud knowing that what prepared for the guest was highly enjoyed and memorable; I’m proud to wear my chef’s jacket and hat; every time I put it on, I feel like a rock star, but my stage is the kitchen. Loving what I do and taking ever plate serious adding those ingredients giving to me by those women who were in my life sets me apart from most, A big heap of Love to finish every plate. 

How do you define success?
“A Fresh Beginning with a beautiful ending” is how success works with me. Taking an invisible ideal and manifesting it (the ability to use the power of your mind to change and create the reality you experience) into something tangible. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: 1ChefCarl

Image Credits
LaKeisha V. Leatherberry
DeCara Seria’ Leatherberry
Ernesto Antopia
Marcus Samuelsson
Dennis Archer Jr.