Today we’d like to introduce you to Salmah Hack.
Hi Salmah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Born and raised in New York and moving to Orlando after getting married. My culinary journey was greatly shaped by my mother and grandmother. Soaking in the stories from their kitchen journeys. My love for Guyanese cuisine and culture stems from those treasured memories. I believe kitchen adventures are fueled by trial and error. Our most prized recipes are developed from those experiences. Like all skills, confidence is grounded in comfortability. From the simplest to the grandest of meals, approach it with love and excitement. Your time in the kitchen is a symphony orchestrated by you, the conductor of season & spice!
Storytelling through food is what I am most passionate about. Sharing my story of faith and culture, which shaped my upbringing. Food is the vehicle that allows me to tell that story. My parents preserved their culture through teaching us about ‘what they ate’, ‘how it was prepared’, ‘what they grew’, food was the conversation starter that allows us glimpse into their up bringing. A trait that I pass on to my children, truly appreciating our rich history and cultural beauty.
After resigning and stepping away from working in higher ed, I started sharing my cooking online through Instagram, that ignited a community and following of so many other who resonated with my story and allowed me to introduce Guyanese American foods to a broader audience. I took on a new world of content creating, from creating concepts to editing. It was a whole new experience! After a year of being in the online space, my work caught the attention of a casting agent who connected with me to compete in a cooking show. I whole heartedly, accepted the challenge to compete on Season 2 of PBS’s The Great American Recipe. where I placed as one of the Top 3 contestants!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Approaching with purpose is how I set myself up for any new challenge or task. Moving with kindness and compassion allows me to stay sincere to the intent of “why I choose to participate or undertake”
There’s always a learning curve and that comes with experience and time. You can’t rush an outcome but staying sincere and authenticate to my intent opened opportunities I didn’t know would be possible
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Guyanese-American home cook from Richmond Hill, Queens, now in Orlando, Florida. I had the honor of competing on Season 2 of PBS’s The Great American Recipe, an experience that deepened my appreciation for the stories food can tell.
My culinary journey is profoundly shaped by the women who raised me—my mother, aunts and grandmother. Their kitchen wisdom, shared through stories, traditions, and countless meals, deepened my love and interested for Guyanese cuisine and culture. Those memories continue to guide and inspire everything I create.
I believe that every kitchen adventure is driven by curiosity, trial and error. Our most cherished recipes are born from those moments of exploration. Like any craft, confidence in cooking grows from comfort and practice. Whether preparing a simple dish or an elaborate feast, approach it with love, excitement, and an open heart. Your time in the kitchen is a symphony—one where you are the conductor, where seasonings and spice are your instruments.
Storytelling through food has become one of my greatest passions, especially when it comes to sharing the richness of Guyanese cuisine. To truly understand our dishes is to understand our history—ancestors who journeyed to a new land in search of opportunity, carrying memories of home and recreating comfort with whatever ingredients they could find. Their resilience shaped the flavors we cherish today.
So much of our identity is woven into the meals and the traditions we preserve. By elevating and platforming Guyanese cuisine, I’m able to honor that legacy and continue telling the story of who we are, where we come from, and the culture that binds us.
Competing on Season 2 of PBS’s The Great American Recipe was one of my proudest moments, placing in the Top 3! To see Guyanese food cooked on TV show is a moment I cannot compare!
How do you think about luck?
Honestly, I don’t believe in luck but more that what is for you will be given to you. Authentically showing up and sincerely pouring into your goals opens unimaginable opportunities. Of course through any venture you will encounter setbacks but it’s how you choose to overcome and grow from the setbacks and obstacles that affect your success
Contact Info:
- Website: https://salmahhack.com
- Instagram: SalmahHack
