It has been stated that anybody can make you enjoy the first bite of a dish, but only a real chef can make you enjoy the last. With that being said, it can accurately be said that Tamika Hurley-Carr is, indeed, a real chef. Cooking since the tender age of six, she has skillfully honed her craft and emerged as Chef and Co-Owner of RFA Catering, a family-owned, full-service event planning and catering company. The company specializes in Gourmet cuisine with a southern twist, Fabulous table design, and Professional Waite service for events.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Hurley-Carr springs from a family of great cooks. The business was birthed in 1997 in her parents’ home. “We knew we were on to something when we successfully catered for a large wedding. That was our first big break. But it was really solidified when we found ourselves building a commercial kitchen just outside of my parents’ home,” Hurley-Carr remembers.

Hurley-Carr matriculated through the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School of Atlanta, where she earned an Associate of Occupational Science degree in Culinary Arts. Tamika trained at numerous restaurants including, Bones, the #1 steakhouse and her mentors include Chef Leonard Lewis and Connie Brice, two of Atlanta’s
foremost culinary experts. The company’s solid record for excellence in the industry has garnered the patronage of MARTA, Pfizer, Citizens Trust Bank, and The Atlanta Business League.
The company has also been the caterer of choice for the movie, “The Gospel,” for which delicacies were provided for the wrap party.

Hurley-Carr’s expertise in her profession has not gone unnoticed. As such, Women Looking Ahead News Magazine honored her for two consecutive years as one of Georgia’s Most Powerful and Influential Women, and The Atlanta Business League nominated the company for the Best Home Based Business award. Committed to achieving the highest level of professionalism in her industry, Hurley-Carr is a former member of
The National Association of Catering Executives additionally, she has chaired the catering component of the Allie awards, an event presented by ISES (International Special Events Society.)

Understanding the concept, “We become so that others may become,” Hurley-Carr is a Chef Mentor for South Fulton’s Tri-Cities High School’s culinary arts department, wherein for the past five years she has worked with and additionally takes in students as interns in her business.

With faith as a major component of the business, Hurley-Carr is a member of Word of Faith Family Worship Center under the leadership of Bishop Dale Bronner, an entrepreneur and advocate for other entrepreneurs, she is grateful for her past, ecstatic about her future and enjoying every moment of the present.