Amie Ward with Touré Folkes

How did you get into the hospitality industry?

My first experience in the industry was as a dishwasher in junior high school, and then not again until I was almost in my 30s. I started working at Blue Ribbon Bakery (Bromberg Brothers) as a server when it was at the height of its popularity and then afterward at Jeffrey's Grocery (Happy Cooking). Essentially, most of my restaurant career was between two restaurant groups in the west village for a ten-year stretch before I moved to New Orleans. Working for Gabriel Stulman at Jeffrey's Grocery was a game changer because it shifted my lens into seeing that I was more than just a cog in a wheel. My whole relationship with food and beverage became more of a point of focus, and I started to look at all the possibilities.

What was the inspiration for starting Turning Tables?

Turning Tables came from years' worth of my own experience as a person of color in the industry and the desire to change the industry to be more equitable. The New Orleans economy relies significantly on the hospitality industry, and the world travels to New Orleans to experience the Black culture. It's in the pores of everything here, yet the percentage of management and ownership is mostly White in a majority Black city, and the front of the house to the back of the house is primarily skewed from White to Black. I worked my way around town for different restaurant groups in different positions and volunteered with a few local non-profits with a hospitality focus. Those interactions with the younger population of New Orleans and seeing firsthand what it was like to be in different spaces inspired me to create a plan for creating Turing Tables. This necessary change has been a long time coming, and this problem is not specific to New Orleans. I would love how this translates into other markets.

How has TT impacted the NOLA hospitality community?

The New Orleans community has largely embraced us and is ultimately the reason we have been able to do the work. We have established ourselves as a community resource, and you can slowly see our impact in bars and restaurants throughout the city.

Since our first cohort ended in January 2020 and our most recent in January of 2022, externs have graduated with a 100% job placement rate. We have received an astounding amount of support from the local hospitality community. Many have been placed in positions in the top bars and restaurants across New Orleans and receive ongoing support from their mentors and wellness resources.