For some entrepreneurs, simply running a restaurant, a catering business or a food truck would be all-consuming. Chef Terence Locke, 33, does all three and still finds time to be present for his family and community.
Born in Memphis and raised in Chattanooga, the Brainerd High school graduate recently opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant, Chef Express, at 515 Vine St. on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus, serving students and the general public. It’s the latest expansion of his catering business and food truck of the same name.
(READ MORE: Terence Locke creates a recipe for service and success with Chef Express)
To help others grow their interest in the culinary arts, Locke created the Pots to Tots program, which offers kids a hands-on cooking experience, and started A Nibble in the Night, a full-course tasting event to help upcoming chefs build their clientele.
He’s also involved in Chattanooga Business Elite, including as host of its Black Excellence of Chattanooga awards show, which typically draws more than 1,000 attendees from more than 200 Black-owned businesses to the Chattanooga Convention Center. As the organization’s youth development director, he’s responsible for handling scholarships and creating programs for students in Hamilton County.