Meet the Maker: Why I Started Lakay Flavors

Some of my earliest memories are wrapped in the smell of sautéed epis and the crackle of frying plantains. I was just five years old when I started following my mom around the kitchen on my days off from school — not to play, but to learn. I’d watch her prepare meals with love and intention, helping her crush garlic, blend (pile) epis, or press plantains for bannann peze. Those small tasks felt important. 

By the time I turned eight, I was trusted to clean and season chicken legs on my own — always under my mother’s careful eye. She later enrolled in culinary arts and professional baking school, and from then on, our kitchen became an even more magical place. I would help her prep for weddings, birthday parties, communions — moments of celebration tied together by food.

As I grew older, certain recipes became my specialties: flaky Haitian cornets stuffed with ground beef, Tresse Royale, Salade russe. Salade de pomme de terre, Macaroni gratiné, and Fruit tart (tarte aux fruits). They weren’t just dishes. They were a connection to my heritage, my family, and my roots.

When I moved to the U.S. in 2016, life shifted. I focused on school, studied business administration, and cooked mostly to get by. But something felt… missing. That spark. That connection to home. I started craving the kinds of Haitian food that no one seemed to be selling — especially here in Los Angeles, where the Haitian community is small compared to places like Florida or New York.

That’s when I felt the pull. I got back in the kitchen, making the foods that shaped my childhood. Friends and family who tasted my dishes lit up with joy — “You should open a restaurant!” they’d say. I wasn’t ready for that leap just yet, but I knew I wanted to share these flavors in a way that felt true to me.

So I created Lakay Flavors — not just to sell food, but to bring people home.

I want to make it easy for others like me — those who live far from Haiti, or those discovering Haitian cuisine for the first time — to access the foods we grew up with but rarely find online. Foods that trigger memories, that bring comfort, and that make you feel seen.

Whether it’s our spicy pikliz, creamy Kremas, savory Chiktay Morue, or buttery Tresse Royale, every product from Lakay Flavors is handcrafted with love, tradition, and the belief that flavor can be a bridge back home.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Mèsi anpil. 🇭🇹

— Melissa, Founder of Lakay Flavors