“It’s about finding the why and connecting the dots.” Born and raised in Connecticut, Gregory has felt intertwined with music and cooking since day one. He says there’s not one without the other; both are fluid, easy and allow creativity. He comes from a very culturally diverse family as well, with African American, Native American, Latin, and Caribbean roots, and it defines him to his core. In the beginning, he pursued music head-on by attending Western Connecticut State on a full music scholarship, and then moved to Charlotte in 2010 to further his music career. It was then that he became a part of the Johnson & Wales Gospel Choir up until 2013 and got a taste for the culinary field that he was exposed to while there. Soon after, he received another full music scholarship from Johnson C. Smith University but cooking never stopped calling his name. Gregory learned about CCSC through social media and appreciated the accessibility it had for its students and decided to give it a shot, to answer the call. He wanted to attend school to elevate his skills and continue learning because he had been working in and out of the kitchen for the past nine years throughout his music career. After graduation, he has plans for both a food truck and a restaurant; he intends to bring “northern bodega style street food” to the Queen City, paying homage to his roots. He seeks to inspire and teach others, particularly African American men, showing that achieving one’s dreams is possible.