My name is Leslie Walker — entrepreneur, poet, and head chef of Walker Food Jrny, a culinary venture born from passion, purpose, and a desire to nourish both body and soul. By trade, I’m an accountant and a partner at one of the world’s largest accounting firms, where I advise clients on business risk, finance, and strategy. In 2025, I was honored to be named to the Forbes list, a recognition of my impact across business and community. But beyond spreadsheets and boardrooms, I’m a self-taught chef, a working mother, a devout yogi, and a lover of culture, connection, and creative expression.

My professional journey is rooted in a duality I’ve always embraced — I’m both analytical and artistic. My background in Accounting and Finance (University of Central Florida) and a Master’s in Business Administration reflect my business mindset, while my love of poetry and storytelling reveal a deep creative undercurrent. From running a bracelet business in elementary school, to braiding and tutoring in college, to leading multimillion-dollar client engagements — entrepreneurship has always been my way of claiming agency over my life.

Poetry has long served as a lifeline — a space for healing, reflection, and truth. Through spoken word, I’ve addressed themes like women’s empowerment, colorism, relationships, and trauma, often performing on stages in front of hundreds. Vulnerable and bold, those moments were terrifying and electrifying — but most of all, empowering. I’ve brought this same creative energy into professional spaces, performing spoken word at leadership conferences to demonstrate that authenticity is leadership.

My love for food was not always easy. Along my journey, I experienced significant health setbacks that deeply complicated my relationship with food. What once brought me joy became fraught with fear and uncertainty. Starting Walker Food Jrny was part of reclaiming that joy. This journal — and the book it became — chronicles my journey of falling in love with food again, and all the ways it has healed me, connected me to others, and helped me rediscover myself.

Founding Walker Food Jrny just one year before making partner was a bold leap — one that taught me how to live with purpose and trust my own timing. Through my catering business, I’ve:

- Delivered fresh, intentional meals to families weekly.
- Hosted curated multi-course dinner parties and women’s wellness retreats.
- Mentored young women in food prep and entrepreneurship.
- Reimagined the food experience during a global pandemic.

This work allowed me to deepen my connection to community, create generational wealth, and, perhaps most importantly, restore trust in my own voice. I no longer chase external validation — I walk in the confidence of knowing I can create success on my own terms.

Today, I continue to fuse my passions — food, poetry, business, and wellness — to inspire others. My supporters range from busy professionals to stay-at-home parents to entrepreneurs looking to nourish themselves more intentionally. Through my recipes and storytelling, I empower people to build a deeper relationship with food, health, and themselves.