A HEART FOR HEALTH: Chef Uses Cooking and Teaching to Help People Eat Better
This trained chef, whose first name is pronounced nah-jai, has cooked in fine dining restaurants, country clubs and hotels around the Triad.
You could describe N’Gai Dickerson as a disciple of healthy food.
This trained chef, whose first name is pronounced nah-jai, has cooked in fine dining restaurants, country clubs and hotels around the Triad.
When he wasn’t on the clock, Dickerson offered healthy food demonstrations and samplings at local libraries and recreation centers. He volunteered his time and paid for the food himself because he loves showing people how to eat better by introducing them to new foods or familiar dishes prepared in healthier ways.
He’s driven to serve in this way because both of his parents died of health-related complications in their early 40s. Ever since, his mission has been to help others make healthier food choices.
About three years ago, his purposeful side gig became a full-time job with the American Heart Association.
A philanthropic family in Greensboro wanted to make a positive impact where they lived. Through their funding efforts, Dickerson became the American Heart Association’s Triad Mobile Kitchen Chef.
Before the pandemic, Dickerson went to community centers, churches, farmer’s markets and neighbor-hoods in food desserts throughout Guilford County to educate families on how to cook and eat healthier on a shoestring budget.