About Shola & Heritage hands

Heritage Hands was born from a deep love of Southern foodways and the women who shaped them.

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Hello, my name is Shola Walker, and I am the founder of Heritage Hands. I am a Virginia native and pastry chef (with savory experience), and I have spent over a decade researching the influence of African American women on Southern cuisine. My culinary career has been a wild ride through Richmond’s bakeries and restaurants, including Nettie’s Naturally, Julep’s New Southern Cuisine, WPA Bakery, and Nota Bene.

In 2017, two of my sisters and I opened Mahogany Sweets, a family bakery dedicated to accommodating food-related illnesses and dietary restrictions.

After the pandemic and the closing of the bakery, I returned to the question that had guided my work for years: How do we reconnect people to the history, land, and traditions behind the food we eat?

The answer became Heritage Hands.

Heritage Hands is a cultural and culinary education space rooted in the history of Southern American foodways. Through classes, workshops, storytelling, and hands-on learning, we help people reconnect with traditional food knowledge, learn practical cooking and growing skills, and build community around the table.

Whether you're looking to save money on food, grow your own ingredients, learn to cook, or explore the history behind Southern cuisine, Heritage Hands welcomes you.

Come sit with us. There’s room at this Southern table.

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If you would like to get in touch, please visit the Contact page. 

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Photo(s) by Jaime Patterson www.hiddenexposurephotography.com 

Logo artist A.G. A. Wilmot agawilmot.ca 

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And a special thanks to Historic Westover for background and space to connect to the women who came before me in those kitchens.