Today we’d like to introduce you to Chanel (Chef Nowel) Williams.
Chanel (Chef Nowel), we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey to becoming Chef Nowel began long before I ever slipped on a chef’s coat or plated my first dish. It began in the quiet spaces of struggle and years of searching for answers as my body battled lupus. That diagnosis reshaped my life. It changed how I understood food, wellness, and what it truly means to care for oneself. Traditional treatments carried me, but they did not free me. Deep down, I knew healing had to come from within, and so I followed the path that called to me: the path toward plant-based nourishment.
As I leaned into this new way of living, something beautiful happened. My energy returned. Inflammation softened. My body began to whisper yes in places where it once only screamed no. For the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of power over my own well-being, and in that transformation, something awakened, something bigger than myself. I realized I didn’t just want to heal. I wanted to help others heal, too.
That is when Chef Nowel was born.
I began to study, to experiment, to play and to listen deeply to what my body needed and what my spirit longed to create. I crafted meals that were nourishing yet soulful, food that comforted while it restored, dishes that carried both intention and culture. What started as a personal fight for wellness blossomed into a passion, and that passion grew into a calling. Today, I use food as my language and my ministry, teaching others the power of using plants as medicine. Whether through a lovingly prepared meal, a workshop, or a quiet conversation, my mission is always the same: to remind people that healing can be delicious, empowering, and deeply connected to who they are.
Becoming Chef Nowel was never just about becoming a chef. It was about becoming a vessel for healing, for compassion, for change. Lupus tested me, but it also revealed the purpose pulsing beneath the pain. Every time I stand in the kitchen, I feel that purpose rise again. I am reminded of why I began this journey and of the lives I hope to nourish with every plant-based creation that leaves my hands and touches another heart.
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?
Has it been a smooth road? Not at all. But every bend, every bruise, every detour has carved the chef and the woman I am today.
Living with lupus meant waking up each morning not knowing which version of my body I would meet. Some days, creativity poured out of me, and I felt ready to paint the world with flavor and hope. Other days, lifting my head felt like lifting a mountain. The fatigue, the inflammation, the unpredictable storms of an autoimmune flare; these were my first teachers in endurance.
When I began transitioning into plant-based living, I had to unlearn years of comfort and rediscover nourishment with intention. I experimented, I burned dishes, I started over. I chased healing through herbs, spices, colors, and textures, trying to craft food that didn’t just sustain me, but restored me. Some days tasted like victory, others tasted like doubt. Yet, each attempt carried me a step closer to myself.
Entrepreneurship brought its own lessons. Building a brand while building my health demanded courage. Gaining trust required vulnerability. Sharing my story meant standing bare in front of strangers, hoping they could feel the sincerity in my voice and the healing in my food. There were days of financial strain, moments of deep self-doubt, and times when my body begged for rest while my purpose begged me to keep going.
But every challenge was chiseling me into who I was becoming.
The pain sharpened my intention.
The setbacks expanded my creativity.
And the healing journey gave me compassion wide enough to hold others on their way to wholeness.
So no, the road has not been smooth, but it has been sacred.
Every obstacle shaped the path that led me to Chef Nowel; a woman who cooks with purpose, who stands for wellness, and who uses her story to remind others that healing is possible, even in the midst of struggle.
My journey is not perfect, but it is powerful.
That is the gift I bring to the table.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As Chef Nowel, my mission reaches far beyond the act of cooking. I create plant-based healing that include meals that nourish the body, soothe the spirit, and honor the ancient truth that food is medicine. My work is born from my own walk with lupus, so every dish I craft carries intention, compassion, and the quiet wisdom of someone who has had to fight for their own wellness.
I am known for taking plant-based cuisine and transforming it into something familiar, soulful, and deeply comforting, especially for those who believe healthy food cannot also be joyful. I revel in creating plates that are vibrant and alive, rich in flavor and meaning, while inviting others to reconnect with their bodies through mindful, loving nourishment.
What sets me apart is that I’m not simply feeding people, I’m guiding them through transformation. I blend nutrition, culture, healing, and storytelling into an experience that speaks to both the palate and the heart. I share my journey openly, because I want others to know that healing is possible, that renewal is possible, and that sometimes the very first step begins with what we place on our plate.
I am most proud of the lives touched along the way through the people who tell me my meals eased their inflammation, that my workshops opened their eyes to a new way of living, or that my story gave them the courage to begin their own healing journey. That is the heartbeat of my work. That is the reason I rise to cook another day.
My kitchen is my ministry.
My food is my love letter to the world.
My purpose is to help people feel whole again, one plant-powered meal, one restored spirit at a time.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
There is no way to tell my story without honoring the souls who shaped me. My journey is not a solo one. My success is a tapestry woven from every hand that lifted me, every voice that encouraged me, and every heart that believed in me when I was still learning to believe in myself.
First, my son, Truly.
My light. My reminder. My why.
He is the one whose quiet presence strengthens me, whose love steadies me, whose belief reignites my fire on the days when the flame grows dim. He is my daily proof that purpose can be inherited and passed forward through love.
To my late grandparents, Leon and Frances, who were my anchors and my inspiration.
My grandfather Leon, with his gentle offers of support, taught me what steady love feels like. His voice still whispers encouragement in the background of my dreams.
And my grandmother Frances, her spirit seasons my kitchen. Her love lives in my recipes. My vegan mac n’ cheese carries her warmth, her wisdom, her soul. She taught me that food can hold memories, stories, and healing all at once.
To my Central State University family, thank you.
You showed up for me loudly, proudly, joyfully. At pop-ups, tastings, and events, there you were, supporting my vision before the world fully knew my name. Your energy has been a wind at my back.
To my hometown, Compton, California,
Thank you for loving me the way only home can. Every time I returned with an idea or event, you welcomed me with open arms. Your love is foundational, powerful, irreplaceable.
To Smakk’D Refreshers and Teas in Lakewood, CA.,
You were the first to carry my flagship products, the first to say “yes” when Chef Nowel was only a seed of a dream. I will always hold that gratitude close.
To Fresh Time Salads and More in Bedford Heights, OH.,
Thank you for trusting me with your vegan offerings and allowing me to pour my heart into your menu. Collaboration with you expanded my reach and affirmed my passion.
And finally, to every mentor, supporter, cheerleader, client, friend, and quiet believer, thank you.
Thank you for seeing me when lupus tried to break me.
Thank you for believing in me when doubt crept in.
Thank you for cheering me on when I was rebuilding from the ground up.
Your faith became my fuel.
Every step I take as Chef Nowel is guided by this circle of love, legacy, and unwavering belief. I carry you all in my spirit, in my kitchen, and in every dish I create.
Your love flavors my work.
Your support strengthens my purpose.
Your belief travels with me into every life I hope to nourish.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ChefNowel.com
- Instagram: @VeganChefNowel
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VeganChefNowel/
