Kayla Greer

Kayla Greer, also known as Chef Kay Kay, embarked on her culinary career after graduating from Los Angeles Trade Tech College in 2009. Originally from Los Angeles’ Crenshaw District, Greer developed an early interest in cooking and catering for musicians and athletes. Her professional journey began with a significant opportunity to create a menu for a private party celebrating a VH1 show. Over her 15-year career, she has cultivated a reputation for her fresh, flavorful cooking style, incorporating influences from her Los Angeles upbringing, such as Mexican cuisine and modern soul food elements. Greer emphasizes the quality of ingredients, often sourcing from farmers’ markets like Erewhon and the Grove. Her technique focuses on simple yet impactful flavors, utilizing garlic, onions, cilantro, and fresh herbs to create savory dishes.

A turning point in Greer’s career occurred during her three-year tenure as a private chef for Drake, where her work gained significant recognition after the artist featured her on his Instagram account. This exposure solidified her presence in the celebrity culinary world. She has since cooked for a wide array of A-list celebrities and athletes, including Demi Lovato, Diddy, Migos, Jhene Aiko, Justin Bieber, DJ Mustard, YG, Future, Ryan Gomes, DeAndre Jordan, Von Miller, and Melvin Ingram. Recognizing a need for culinary resources, Greer developed her own all-purpose seasoning blend, designed to simplify cooking and enhance flavors with a balanced profile, avoiding excessive blandness or saltiness common in other pre-mixed products. This seasoning, housed in stackable containers, reflects her commitment to making quality cooking accessible.

Beyond her private chef services, Greer has expanded her entrepreneurial endeavors. She founded The Saffron Agency, a consulting practice where she interviews, vets, and mentors aspiring cooks and chefs, helping them secure employment within the industry by referring them to her extensive network of clients and events. Additionally, Greer serves as the creative executive chef at The H.Wood Group’s 40 Love in West Hollywood. In this role, she is responsible for menu development, recipe creation, and maintaining quality control, often adapting dishes that were successful with her private clientele, such as her popular kale Caesar salad, for the restaurant’s sports bar setting. Her work-life balance at 40 Love is facilitated by its operating hours, which complement her schedule as a private chef.