As the co-founder and executive chef of Yum Yum Catering and Events, Cantave was once in banking, marketing and advertising before breaking up with the business world to return to her first love – cooking. Already in New York City for her job and busy inhaling the cornucopia of food options in the Big Apple, she stopped into an open house at the French Culinary Institute. Within 24 hours, she was the school’s newest student, and later graduating as valedictorian. In July 2011, Vanessa competed and won $20,000 on Bravo’s cooking competition show “Rocco’s Dinner Party” with celebrity chef Rocco Dispirito. Since then, she has been a regular contributor for several media outlets including the Huffington Post, NY Post, Wall Street Journal, Essence Magazine and has been featured on the Cooking Channel, NBC’s The Today Show, The Better Show, Wendy William’s Show, and Fox Business News.
Yum Yum Catering & Events is a boutique catering company based in Brooklyn, N.Y., offering private chef services, full-service catering, private instruction and event consultation.