Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Nicole Parker.
Hi Claudia Nicole, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey really started, unofficially, back in the summer of 1991. My boyfriend at the time had a mom who owned a soul food restaurant on the North Side of Chicago—which was unheard of back then. She was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and brought all that Southern flavor and tradition with her.
At first, I just helped out here and there, mostly working the cash register. But one week, she had to go back home, and before she left, she looked me dead in the eye and said, “Nicole, you’re in charge. You’re baking the German chocolate cakes, peanut butter cookies, and smothered pork chops.”
Now, keep in mind — I had NEVER cooked a thing in my life. I looked at her like she had lost her mind. But she simply said, “You’ve been here. You see what we do.”
So, I rolled up my sleeves, made my first cake, baked those cookies, and yes—I cooked those smothered pork chops with gravy from scratch. To my surprise (and honestly, relief), everything was a hit. That’s when I discovered, at 24 years old, that I could cook.
In 1999, after having my second child, I decided to take it seriously. I enrolled in culinary school to go beyond soul food and comfort food—I wanted to master pastries, cream puffs, and cuisines from around the world. I studied at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, Le Cordon Bleu, and Kendall College.
Along the way, I mentored under Cole’s Catering—an experience that taught me both what to do and what not to do in this business. It confirmed for me that when I started my own brand, everything would be made from scratch. Period.
I started Claudia’s Catered Cuisine unofficially in 2011 in Chicago, providing food for church events and private parties. By 2016, I rebranded as BLJP Cuisine Catering, offering catering, meal prep, and gourmet concessions for inner-city basketball tournaments.
In December 2022, I moved to Yulee, Florida, and launched my Cottage Food Business in the spring of 2023, participating in local markets across Nassau County. In March of this year, I officially established Uniquely Made Cuisine, LLC, where I now offer personal chef services, catering, meal prep, and baked goods—all made from scratch, true to my roots. My brand is SoulFusion, and I specialize in customization due to growing up and being forced to eat things I knew I didn’t like as a child. I believe you should have options and you know what you like and don’t like even as a kid and should be forced.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road.
One of the biggest struggles has been finding my niche. It’s not easy when you’re able to offer both cooking and baking. I’m basically a one-stop shop, but sometimes that makes it harder to decide where to focus. Back in Illinois, I started with catering and meal prep, and then I was asked to provide concessions for events. Choosing which direction to lean into has always been, and honestly, still is a challenge.
Financially, starting a business that wasn’t really “planned” but more of a vision and dream was overwhelming, especially as a single mom. There were times I doubted whether it was even feasible or attainable. Consistency with clientele isn’t guaranteed, and that uncertainty is hard to manage.
Learning all the licenses, requirements, and rules was another struggle. Finding commercial kitchen space is expensive, and walking into this industry with no guarantees of success is terrifying.
In 2018-2019, my business, BLJP Cuisine, was finally gaining momentum, and then the pandemic hit. Everything came crashing down. The time, money, and energy I had poured into building it felt like it was all lost. Business wasn’t the same after that.
When I moved to Florida, I wrestled with whether to start with personal chef services, meal prep, or baking. The fear of starting over somewhere new, with no idea of my audience or market, was real. I decided to research Cottage Food businesses and realized baking was the most affordable way to start, working from home and testing the waters to see what people would respond to.
I had never owned a tent or participated in markets; it was all new to me. Finding the right markets where I could thrive has taken almost two years. But now, I’ve built a base of regulars who love my pastries, and I’m hopeful they’ll support my meal prep and catering services as I officially open up those options.
The journey has been anything but easy, but it’s been mine, and I’ve learned to trust the process.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Many people are surprised to learn how deeply I love serving others, whether through food or by helping them chase their dreams. For me, service isn’t just a job, it’s my purpose. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone smile after tasting a meal prepared with love and flavors they can only get from me.
Outside the kitchen, I’ve dedicated nearly 36 years of my life to higher education, serving as an administrator. I currently work as the Director of Policy and Implementation, and formerly served as the Director of Financial Aid Processing for 4.5 years at Auguste School of Culinary Arts. In that role, I help students navigate the financial aid process so they can pursue their dreams of becoming culinarians. I also create policy, training, and implementation tools for administrative departments, ensuring students and staff have the necessary resources to succeed.
I feel truly blessed to have the best of both worlds—supporting students who share my love of cooking and baking while nurturing my own passion through Uniquely Made Cuisine. Cooking and baking are more than skills for me—they’re a God-given gift that allows me to create, share, and serve in a way that brings people together.
I’m not your typical foodie. I love to cook, but what brings me joy is watching the look on someone’s face when they take that first bite — the expression of surprise, happiness, and that classic “Oh my goodness, what is this?!” moment. That’s what fuels me.
I’m most proud of my ability to create unique flavor profiles and dishes, often on a whim. I’ll get inspired by something I see on social media, blend ideas from three or four posts, and head straight to the kitchen to experiment. Funny enough, the popular restaurant trends and fusion dishes you see now, I was preparing those back in 2011 for catered events, long before I knew how to brand myself properly. Also extremely proud of the palate my kids and grandkids have due to me not forcing them to eat things they said they did not like, and being able to encourage them through smell and appearance of food to try new things.
My upbringing made me a picky eater and shaped my creativity. My mom didn’t cook or bake from scratch, but my maternal grandmother did everything from scratch. On the other hand, my paternal grandmother leaned on Swanson frozen meals, except for the holidays when she cooked from scratch. My parents took us to Chicago’s finest restaurants, The Ritz-Carlton, steakhouses, and high-end dining, so my palate was always exposed to great food, even if it wasn’t always cooked at home.
That combination of experiences is what birthed SoulFusion, my signature style. It blends the scratch-made traditions of my grandmother, the convenience influences of my upbringing, and the elevated flavors I was exposed to dining out as a child, all fused with my adult creativity and culinary passion. No one can recreate SoulFusion the way I do — because it’s not just a recipe, it’s my life story on a plate.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
SoulFusion Scratch-Made Flavor, Inspired by Life. That’s more than a tagline; it’s the foundation of everything I do.
My passion for cooking from scratch comes from experience, both good and bad. As a culinary student, I once worked under someone who advertised that everything was homemade, but behind the scenes, they were serving store-bought products and taking credit for dishes I prepared. Watching clients overpay for food that lacked authenticity didn’t sit right with me. That experience made me promise myself: when I have my own business, everything will be made from scratch, with integrity, care, and real flavor.
I believe everyone, no matter who they are, deserves to enjoy a good meal and dessert made with love. That belief is what fueled my time serving at Hesed House in Aurora, Illinois, one of the state’s largest homeless shelters. Before the pandemic, I served meals there in person, sharing food and fellowship with the residents every month. Even during the pandemic, I found a way to continue serving by preparing meals and dropping them off for those in need.
I’ve also spent time walking through downtown Chicago, Union Station, Lake Street, and beyond, handing out 15 to 20 hot meals I made at home. I would take the Metra into the city early, just to make sure people experiencing homelessness could have a fresh, hearty meal.
That’s what SoulFusion is all about; it’s not just food, it’s a way to serve, to connect, and to bring joy through flavor. I’m excited to continue that journey here in Nassau and Duval counties this fall, bringing my love for cooking, serving, and SoulFusion flavors to the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.uniquelymadecuisine.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/uniquelymadecuisine
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniquelyMadeCuisine
