Meet Aya Okale-Weeks of Meat & Graze

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aya Okale-Weeks.

Hi Aya, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
A ‘Cheeseperience’ is what we call an appreciation of cheese. I personally began to truly appreciate artisan cheese after losing my 18-year-old brother Joshua in a double homicide. At a time when nothing else felt happy or worthwhile, researching and enjoying cheese pairings became something I connected with and I ran with it.

During this stage of non-functioning depression, my new hobby, coupled with intentionally caring for my mental health, is what allowed me to transition out of a dark and seemingly hopeless time into a more positive and productive state of being. Eventually, I began sharing my appreciation of cheese through the careful curation of Cheeseperiences for others. Seven years in the hospitality industry equipped me with a solid foundation to build on and hone culinary knowledge focusing on how accompaniments intersect with cheese as they engage the palate. Food is one of the best mediums for connecting people to each other and even themselves, and we love facilitating these experiences while supporting farmers and other artisans.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being of service to others and sharing what I’ve learned helps me heal as I navigate my journey with grief, but the path has not been entirely straightforward. First, on the business front, we had to await the reopening of the health department for inspections due to COVID-19. Then, we had to regroup and pivot after the kitchen that we had planned to join, closed down. At the same time, unfortunately, my family and I lost my grandmother, Monroetta Georgia just ten short months after Joshua. She was affectionately known as Mommy Grand or MG for short and the name Meat & Graze and it’s abbreviation M & G is rooted in honoring her life. MG’s love for exquisite dining experiences and entrepreneurial spirit, despite limited resources, spurred me on further and that perseverance paid off just in time to launch on the eve of Joshua’s 19th birthday.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Meat & Graze Cheeseperiences range from mini boxes up to elaborate grazing tables styled with artisan cheeses, charcuterie, dips, honeys, nuts, fresh produce, and other accompaniments. Meat & Graze is a proudly black and woman-led company, supporting farmers and artisans while bringing people together over aesthetic artisan cheese and charcuterie arrangements. We also facilitate private workshops, provide cheese-focused catering and customized gifts for all audiences.

Our differentiator is our team and collective motivation to offer a memorable experience through every connection. We’re most proud to be opening our first storefront in Boxyard RTP later this year!

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is humanity and just being good to one another, whatever that looks like for each individual.

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@meatandgraze.com
• Website: www.meatandgraze.com
• Instagram: @meatandgraze
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/meatandgraze
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/meat-and-graze-cary