Tanorria Askew

Tanorria Askew is a passionate home cook turned Chef and the proud owner of Tanorria’s Table where she works as a personal chef, DEIB Consultant, and TV personality. Tanorria has a keen sense of flavor and prides herself on making everything she cooks memorable. With her cooking roots originating from Tennessee, Tanorria has fun putting a modern spin on American Comfort Food.

A 2016 contestant on MasterChef hosted by Gordon Ramsay, Tanorria walked away as the 4th best home cook in America. Tanorria won over producers, judges, and America with her southern culinary roots and sassy personality. Gordon Ramsay donned her shrimp and grits as the best shrimp and grits he’s ever had in the MasterChef kitchen.

Tanorria spent 15 years at Teachers Credit Union (TCU) before leaving to follow her culinary dreams. During that time, she worked her way through the ranks from Sales Representative, Member Service Representative, Assistant Manager, and Training and Organizational Development Specialist. Tanorria was the champion and practitioner for TCU's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiative; leading the charge in winning the Indianapolis Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity Award. She blended her passion for cooking and her passion for DEI to create Unity Tables, a safe space for women of different races, cultures, and backgrounds to sit around a dinner table and share their heart as a way to create unity.

Since leaving TCU, Tanorria’s has had the privilege of speaking to audiences as a keynote speaker, emcee, and panelist about her significant career shift, anti-racism, DEI, social justice, and the courage it takes to chase dreams. She also serves as the DEI Chairperson of the board for a non-profit called Slow Food Indy. A seat at Tanorria’s Table will nourish your body with food and your soul with justice. Above all, Tanorria encourages everyone to love deeply, laugh often, and eat well.