Hallelujah Acres Café Head Chef Shares Her Recipes
 If you’ve been to Hallelujah Acres Café for lunch, or you’ve taken part in any of our many events, you know Shay Hopper. Or, at least, you’ve enjoyed the results of her work. As our Head Chef, Shay has created original recipes, and whipped up many a delicious meal—from her ever-popular pizza to her Mexican bean burritos to her veggie burgers, and much more.
Stop in at lunch for a few days during the week and you’ll see many of the same faces coming back for more, a testament to Shay’s skill and talent in the kitchen. So it wasn’t unusual when diners started asking for recipes. Now Shay has compiled 200 of her favorite recipes, and put them together in a new recipe book, called Alternative Cooking, soon to be available to you from Hallelujah Acres.
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by Elemika “Shay” Hopper
Get to know Shay as she tells you a little about her beginnings, her journey and her life in this heartfelt open letter.
Greetings,
My name is Elemika Hopper, and I go by Shay. I was born in Michigan City, Indiana. There I began learning how to cook. Actually I was seven years old when my parents bought me an Easy-Bake oven. I’m sure many of you had one when you were a young child. I would always ask my mom for leftovers, so I could use my oven to cook. I loved making chocolate cake for my father. He worked all the time, so when he got home I would give him cake to let him know that I appreciated all he did for the family. Sometimes, my father would come home and cook something unusual. This is probably the reason why I like to create things in the kitchen. Thanks, Dad! My mother didn’t allow me to cook alone, but she allowed me to help her out, especially during important occasions. Mom, you know you are the best, and I love you. Dad, I love you too!
When I was 11 years old, my parents moved us to North Carolina, and I had to leave my friends. But, I believe God sent me here for many reasons. One of the reasons was to be under a great man of God, Bishop Louis McDowell. At my church, I’m a Sunday school teacher, choir director, and a dance teacher. I have learned so many wonderful things in this ministry. I have learned how to depend and trust in God when it seems like everything is falling apart, to have faith, and to know that I’m blessed. The second reason God sent me here was to meet my true love, and to have the most fantastic three kids in the whole world: Denisha, 11; Veronica, 9; and my baby boy L.J., 7. I love them with all my heart, soul,and spirit. The last reason, but certainly not least, was to work at Hallelujah Acres.
I have worked for Hallelujah Acres for six years. My first kitchen assignment was juicing carrots, followed by a promotion to Cook. Afterward, I was promoted again to Head Chef and Kitchen/Café Supervisor. God has really seen favor in His servant.
Working at Hallelujah Acres, I have learned so many other ways of cooking — healthy ways. When I was brought up we ate meat and lots of it. When I first learned what Hallelujah Acres ministry was about, I certainly was not going to eat what they were telling people to eat. I wasn’t brought up with a lot of different vegetables. I didn’t even eat a simple carrot. I began to study Rhonda Malkmus’ book,
Recipes for Life…from God’s Garden. Reading about health, I began to understand why it’s important to eat healthier. I never thought I would be cooking and eating the way God intended us to eat.
I have come a long way since I began my journey at Hallelujah Acres. I have grown to be a great chef, and I just love to cook. God gave me the ability to cook at a young age, and back then, I couldn’t have known I would be cooking for a vegetarian restaurant today. People always ask how I cook without using dairy and meat. In fact, some of the customers are surprised that there is no meat or dairy in my recipes.
God has given me a gift and I depend on His direction as I cook. After all these years, and all this experience, I have decided to create a cookbook. People from everywhere have asked me if I have a cookbook, or they’ve told me I should have one. I was surprised because I didn’t realize how good my cooking was and how much our customers were enjoying my meals. So I have been working very hard on this book, and hopefully it will be ready by the New Year. Please, keep me in your prayers that I will have the strength and the ability to accomplish this great task.
In closing, I want to send a special thanks to Barbie, who saw talent and wanted me to work in the kitchen for Hallelujah Acres. Barbie, I really do appreciate you showing me the basics in working in the kitchen. Thanks,and I love you. I also want to say thanks to Dr. Chris Padgett, Hallelujah Acres Director of Operations, who motivated me to start my cookbook. I can’t name everybody, but thank you to everyone who comments on, or compliments me on the meals I create everyday. God Bless!
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