Chef Scotty Bonds | Episode 005 | From Cupcakes to Celebrity Kitchens

How Chef Scotty B Built Gourmet 21 on Passion, Patience & Quality

An In Good Company Feature | By JermConnects

The Story

Most people don’t build a business from their dad’s barbershop during senior year of high school. Most people don’t teach themselves to cook by watching Food Network every day after school. And most people definitely don’t go from selling cupcakes to cooking for Martin Lawrence, George Lopez, and Storm Reid. But Scotty Bonds isn’t most people.

On the latest episode of In Good Company, I sat down with Chef Scotty B — a celebrity private chef, founder of Gourmet 21, and a guy I’ve known since middle school back in Greensboro, North Carolina. What started as a conversation between old friends quickly became a masterclass in what it means to evolve without losing your foundation.

It Started with Scrambled Eggs

Scotty’s story begins at three years old, standing on a stool in his family kitchen scrambling eggs with his dad. That early exposure stuck. He’d come home from school and watch Food Network for hours, absorbing techniques, flavors, and plating ideas long before he ever thought of it as a career path.

By high school, the passion had a direction. His senior project centered on Southern cooking, and when his teachers tasted what he’d prepared, the feedback was immediate: this kid can cook. He started bringing homemade snickerdoodle cookies to school, which led teachers to say, “You can bake, too.” That was the spark. During the height of the cupcake trend, Scotty launched Scotty’s Kupcakery, selling baked goods out of his father’s barbershop in Greensboro.

But there was a problem. Everyone started calling him “the cupcake man.”

“I can do way more than that,” Scotty said. So he dropped the Kupcakery name and built Gourmet 21 — a brand that would let his full range shine.

Elevated Southern Food with a Twist

When I asked Scotty to describe his style, he didn’t hesitate: elevated Southern food. The comfort and soul of Southern cooking, but with unexpected twists that push each dish beyond the expected. “It’s not gonna be your typical grandma’s mac and cheese with mashed potatoes and gravy,” he explained. “I’m gonna always throw a twist at you. Just to bring it up a notch.”

One thing that sets Scotty apart in his industry is rare versatility. He can bake and cook at a high level — something he acknowledges most chefs can’t claim. It’s a dual skill set that was forged in that original Kupcakery-to-Gourmet 21 evolution, and it’s now one of his biggest competitive advantages.

The Work Behind the Plate

One of the most revealing moments in our conversation came when I asked Scotty what people misunderstand about what he does. His answer was immediate: people don’t realize the work that goes into sourcing ingredients alone.

“Clients think I just go to one store, one stop shop, and then we’re out of there. I went to five different stores” for a single Super Bowl booking, he shared. His philosophy is non-negotiable: if he wouldn’t eat it himself, he’s not serving it. That means premium memberships at wholesale stores, early morning runs before the public arrives, and an obsessive attention to quality that most clients never see.

He also pushed back on a common misconception in catering: clients who want to provide their own ingredients and just pay for cooking labor. Scotty won’t do it. “My quality isn’t going to be the same as your quality, unfortunately,” he said. The ingredients are part of the experience. There’s no shortcut.

The Martin Lawrence Story

When I asked Scotty about his most memorable experience, the answer came fast: cooking for Martin Lawrence when the comedian came through Charlotte. What Scotty expected to be a straightforward gig turned into something much bigger. He was told he’d be cooking for Martin. What he found when he arrived was that he’d also be feeding Martin’s entire staff, running food back and forth from the kitchen to the Spectrum Arena, and handling rider requests for other performers on the tour — including DeRay Davis.

The curveball demanded an immediate pivot. He had to rush to a restaurant supply store, buy ten chafing dishes on the spot, and lean on his team — his then-fiancée (now wife) and his mom — to help pull it off. In one of the interview’s most genuine moments, Scotty gave a shout out to DeRay Davis for helping clean up afterward. “That was real humble,” he said.

It’s a story that perfectly captures who Scotty is: prepared but adaptable, quality-obsessed but resourceful, and surrounded by people who show up when it counts.

Family, Legacy & the Number 21

The “21” in Gourmet 21 isn’t random. It was the jersey number of Scotty’s grandfather when he played semi-pro basketball. His father, a barber of over 20 years, carried the number into his shop. And Scotty carried it into his kitchen. Three generations, one number, one standard of excellence.

When I asked who shaped how he thinks about work and life, Scotty pointed straight to his parents. His dad — always cooking, always creating — was the original inspiration. And his mom? She earned a special shout out for her legendary chicken tenders, a recipe so good that Scotty would eat them cold the next day at school. The recipe is apparently lost somewhere in the family, possibly with an aunt, and Scotty suspects it’s been tweaked over time. But the impact of that dish, and that kitchen, lives on in everything he creates.

Patience in the Slow Seasons

One of the most honest moments in the conversation was Scotty’s answer about what he’s stopped doing that’s made him better. His answer: learning patience. In a business defined by seasons — fast ones where bookings stack up, and slow ones where the phone goes quiet — the instinct is to panic. Scotty’s learned to have grace with himself during those valleys. Stay consistent. Keep creating. Don’t get down on yourself. The bookings come back when you’ve put in the work.

It’s a lesson that applies far beyond the kitchen.

The Bigger Vision

Looking ahead, Scotty has two major moves on the horizon. First, I forgot to mention that he recently launched a line of signature sauces — the honey garlic was the first to sell out. It’s a smart play that lets his brand reach people beyond the private dining table, be sure to follow him for updates on when his sauces and future products become available again.

Second, and bigger: he wants to open a brick and mortar restaurant. A space where people can gather, eat incredible food, and experience community. He knows the overhead is a challenge, but the vision is clear.

And on the most human level, Scotty wants to use his gift to serve people who’ve never experienced a meal like the ones he creates. Inspired by his friend Chef Baul in Atlanta, who sets up on the street and cooks gourmet meals for people experiencing homelessness, Scotty wants to bring the full Gourmet 21 private dinner experience to someone who’d never otherwise have access to it.

“Get them that experience,” he said. “Something they probably would never experience.”

The Takeaway

Scotty Bonds didn’t follow a traditional path into the culinary world. No culinary school. No prestigious apprenticeship. Just a kid who loved food, watched his dad cook, baked for his teachers, and refused to be put in a box. From cupcakes to celebrity kitchens, from Greensboro to stages that most chefs only dream of, he built Gourmet 21 one dish at a time.

The plate is his canvas. The 21 is his legacy. And the best is still ahead.

Book Chef Scotty B for your next private dinner or event at gourmet21catering.com and follow his journey at @itschefscottyb on Instagram.