HEY Y’ALL!
Driven by Impact. Powered by Spirit. Building Community — One Fork, One Breath, One Experience at a Time.
Always with Love. Always on Purpose.
“Joyful pint-sized ‘tour de force’ best describes Jayda Atkinson. Hailing from New Orleans, she embodies a life rich with abundance, hospitality, purpose, love, joy, and the relentless pursuit of happiness. Her journey from humble beginnings to becoming a visionary in the food, entertainment, and community service sectors is a testament to her resilience and commitment to creating Heartful experiences.”
— Kiara Akita
From learning to cook as a child in the kitchen of a shotgun Uptown New Orleans home to feeding communities, festivalgoers, celebrities, and the less fortunate across the globe, Jayda Atkinson has always been on a mission to nourish both hearts and stomachs with love. A chef with a heart of service at her core, Jayda began her journey selling supper plates from her kitchen before expanding into cooking for the masses locally and internationally, recipe development, brand activations, food-centered events, and community-centered culinary experiences.
At the heart of Jayda’s work is The Success Café (formerly The Love Lives Foundation), the purpose-driven organization she founded in 2007. Born from her personal rebuilding journey following Hurricane Katrina, The Success Café is not a physical café but a living concept — a space where dreams are brewed. Through this organization, Jayda leads community initiatives including Heart to Home, Bags of Hope, and youth mentorship efforts, creating pathways for restoration, dignity, nourishment, and second chance
Jayda’s love for cooking is more than a profession — it is a calling. She finds deep joy in feeding communities at festivals, pop-ups, brand activations, and cultural gatherings, sharing the soulful flavors of New Orleans with the world. Her dishes speak of heritage, healing, and home. She is also the curator of Heartful Brands, which houses food concepts including Jayda’s Comfort Kitchen, Po’Babies, culinary consulting, recipe development, and immersive brand activations rooted in storytelling and culture.
Her culinary expertise and authenticity have earned her national recognition, including an appearance on Food Network’s Chopped and guest cooking segments on The Dr. Oz Show, among others.
Beyond food, Jayda is deeply committed to wellness, mentorship, literacy, and cultural preservation. She regularly supports high school students and reads her debut children’s book, Red Beans and Rice for Dinner, in elementary classrooms — using storytelling and food as tools to connect generations and celebrate culture.
Grounded in New Orleans tradition, Jayda remains active in the city’s vibrant cultural landscape. She dances in glamorous pink and leads with intention with the NOLA Lolas, a Mardi Gras dance group and community-driven sisterhood dedicated to service, cultural engagement, and connection, which she co-founded with her Partner in Pink, Kourtenay Roberts. She also proudly second-lines with The Lady & Men Rollers Social & Pleasure Club, founded by the legendary Yakamein Lady and mentor Linda Green.
