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Chef Keshia Hay of Sip n Bite

By / Photography By | August 28, 2018
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Keshia Hay, private chef of Sip n Bite

Meet Keshia Hay, talented tastemaker. With a degree from O'More College of Art and Design and a love of French cuisine, she founded Sip-n-Bite in 2016, where she serves as a private chef. There she crosses the lines of food and art to provide guests with creative canapés and colorful cocktails.

 

But even a busy chef needs to take a break sometimes. And, for Keshia, that often means a picnic at Arrington Vineyards. “Any time I go out there,” she says with a grin, “I always do a fancy spread, the whole shebang. I cannot go out there without doing it. Plus, my family expects nothing less.”

Keshia (left) with her brother and mother on a recent picnic.

The key for Keshia is keeping it real: real dishes, real napkins, real serving-ware and real glasses. “I like white plates because that makes the colors of the fresh food pop. And long platters are your friend because you can fit a lot of food on them. Large serving bowls, too. They invite sharing and make a picnic even more convivial.”

When it comes to the food, Keshia keeps it simple, fresh and flavorful. “I make a chicken salad that is heavily requested, especially by my brother. I also add a charcuterie board, a vegetable platter, cheese and fruit, and a little something sweet.”

That little something sweet turned out to be dark chocolate and lavender cookies, raised above the picnic blanket on a glass cake stand. “There are always elements of flowers in my food,” Keshia shares. “You want to plate the food at different levels … it’s more aesthetic that way.”

Keshia’s final advice: “Don’t forget to bring a wine opener!”.

Follow Keshia on Instagram @sip_n_bite_cocktail

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These thin and crispy wafers come from the blog smells-like-home.com. Keshia makes them her own with her lavender icing.