Living in the Twin Cities, traveling internationally and being connected to various multicultural communities, Imani grew to understand how food shapes all our lives. It lets us celebrate our stories, our families, our memories, and makes us feel like we belong. It allows us to preserve our identity, and culture.

Imani unapologetically embodied her black side which allowed her to live through her ancestors and history. It taught Chef Jackson that if we don't know where we came from, we don't know where we're going. Therefore, Chopped & Served is reintroducing what sovereignty means, looks like, and feels like so we can recondition our souls back to a sovereign diet similar to our ancestral ways.

Imani Jackson, the Black Jew, Executive Chef and CEO, grew up St Louis Park just west of Minneapolis metro area. Since middle school, she was always working various service jobs to support herself and her family. While having those jobs made her self sufficient and instilled a strong work ethic at a young age, Imani learned quickly that she did not have to keep working under other people: she could be her own boss.