Chef Allysa is, as the name suggests, a lover of food and a proponent of peace. Food continues to serve as an anchor and cornerstone in her life, uniting her loved ones, and giving her a chance to share her experience, passion, and talents with as many people as possible.

With roots in Caribbean and Latin flavors and a bold approach to seasoning, Chef Allysa brings vibrant, layered taste to every dish she creates. Of Guyanese and Bajan descent, her cooking is deeply inspired by her heritage. She blends it effortlessly with global influences like American, Italian, and Asian to craft meals that are soulful, colorful, and unforgettable.

Her story starts in the kitchen, shoulder to shoulder with her mom, cousins, and aunts, chopping and prepping the foundation for dishes that were never measured but always perfect. These women didn’t use recipes. They cooked with instinct, confidence, and care. It was in those moments that Chef Allysa unknowingly received her culinary inheritance, one deviled egg and seasoned pot at a time.

After losing her mom, those memories became sacred. Cooking became a way to honor her, to feel close to her again, and to carry forward the flavors and traditions she was raised on. That deep-rooted love turned into a passion.

What began as playful experiments in her own kitchen, combined with a growing obsession with restaurants, global flavors, and food adventures, quickly became something more. She launched @FoodLoverNotAFighter on Instagram to document it all, and her audience grew to love her authenticity, creativity, and undeniable skill.

Today, Chef Allysa wears many hats. By day, she is the CFO of a fast-growing NYC restaurant group, using her 15+ years of financial expertise to help businesses thrive. By night and on weekends, she is in the kitchen developing recipes, filming content, and building her food lifestyle brand, Food Lover Not A Fighter.

In 2025, Chef Allysa expanded the brand to include a signature line of sauces and spice blends, inspired by her Caribbean-Latin roots and global palate. Her first six handcrafted spice blends are now joined by three bold, small-batch sauces. Each one comes with its own story, recipe, and vibe. They are not just products. They are an extension of her kitchen and her heart.

She is also the author of Priceless: A World Without Money, a deeply personal and thought-provoking book exploring what it means to live, give, and build community beyond the confines of currency. Through her writing, just like her cooking, Chef Allysa invites you to reflect, feel, and imagine a more meaningful way of living.

Whether it is food, finance, or storytelling, everything she does is rooted in love, flavor, and purpose. And yes, she is still waiting on her call from Chopped, but she is ready.