Chanda Temple has a way of making you care about what’s on her plate, and who put it there.
A seasoned journalist, she’s built a career uncovering the people, passion and purpose behind a story. Now as a food storyteller, she puts pen to paper to dive deep into Birmingham’s culinary scene. And when she’s done, get ready to revel in all of the buried treasure she brings to the table.
- There’s the pie maker who prays over each pie before it leaves his kitchen.
- There’s the woman who kept being overlooked for job promotions so much, that she left and is now using those ideas in her own business.
- There’s the private chef working to bring healthier meals to food insecure communities.
- And list goes on.
Chanda’s journey into food writing began when she joined Food Network Star and Birmingham native Martie Duncan to work on two cookbooks. The first one was Birmingham’s Best Bites. The second one was Magic City Cravings. Both have won awards and spotlight the city’s culinary gems and the faces behind them.
Today, Chanda brings the same passion she had in working with Martie, to her blog, http://www.chandatemplewrites.com, where she highlights chefs, bakers and food entrepreneurs carving out their space in Birmingham and beyond.
Chanda’s Instagram (@chandatemple) gives followers a front row seat to everything on Chanda’s plate. Her posts should come with the following warning: Dangerously Delicious! Prepare to Make a Reservation.
In 2024, Chanda was honored to join the Birmingham chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, a collective of women leaders in food, beverage and hospitality. Through this organization, she continues her mission of amplifying voices and creating opportunities for others, particularly women navigating the challenges of the food industry. She is also a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Bham Food Plus Board.
If you have a story to share, contact her at chandatemple@gmail.com. She’s ready to write about the next great food find in Birmingham.
Here’s what a few people had to say about my posts…
- “THANK YOU Chanda Temple !! Thanks for allowing me to share my story!! It’s written so Beautifully!!! I really appreciate you
I love it!!” – Kristal Bryant, owner of K&J’s Elegant Pastries
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“Good morning Foodie friends. I had the pleasure to be interviewed by THE best journalist in Birmingham, Chanda Temple! See below on how she breaks my food truck journey down on a story that’s built on faith!Thank you so much again Chanda on this write up!” – Alice Goldsmith, owner of the Lil Bougie Foodie Food Truck
- “Love your writing style.” – Award-winning journalist and podcaster, Chandra Thomas Whitfield
- “Another beautiful story by the talented Ms. Temple. Thank you!” – Aniyah Brown, owner of The Emerald Spoon
- “I love your food reviews. You know what words to use to perfectly describe the food and experiences at each location you review. It’s not easy to grab my attention, but you always seem to say the right things in your post to make me stop and read every bit of it. Plus, I have visited or re-visited restaurants based on your recommendation. Keep up the great work. Keep shining. Peace.” – A Facebook follower
- “We ordered our pies for Christmas this year from Sweet Daddy’s Sweet Potato pies because I saw your facebook post. They were absolutely phenomenal! We got an apple pie and a sweet potato pie, and the sweet potato pie was literally Christmas in your mouth haha. It was so so good, I was floored at the first bite! So thank you for the recommendation!” – A Facebook follower