Today we’d like to introduce you to Ally Phillips.
Hi Ally, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My career began as an educator, supervising special education and the serving as a school psychologist. My expertise was in learning disabilities and ADHD.
In 1970, I began teaching special education in public schools. And, I continued this teaching for several years before becoming licensed as a School Psychologist.
At that point, I shifted my work with unique needs children to the pyschoeducational aspect of the process. Wow, this was a drastic change. But, I’d been in the classroom. I’d taught children with different types of special needs. And, moving to the evaluation process of this type of work was an a natural extension of my skill set.
In 1988, I took a profound leap of faith. I founded my own company, a private practice, that served children and adults in the Southeast.
I’d never been trained in ‘business’, and I soon learned, many times the hard way, how to run a business and be profitable in order to stay in business.
We specialized in innovative programs designed to help them through her unique one-on-one methodology. For almost 32 years, I was Dr. Alice of Education Rx Associates, Inc.
In 2008 Ben, my husband, and I relocated to Boston to a small garden apartment on Beacon Hill. My hair brained idea was to do something very different from my psychologist life. So, I embarked on a childhood dream–becoming an actor!
At the ripe young age of 59, I set off on my next life next adventure. I took acting lessons and started auditioning, with the persistence that has always been me! I learned this tenacity that was bred in me and other kids from the hollers.
As luck would have it while in Boston, I saw an audition for MasterChef Season 1, and I made it to the semi-finals before being sent home. Naturally, I re-auditioned for season 2 and after beating out over 38,000 hopefuls, I made it to the top 100 to be invited to Los Angeles to face Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliott with the unflinching style that is Ally! Oh, that was one helluva experience. Decimated by Chef Ramsay only fueled my passion to continue in the cooking world.
Since then, I’ve been blazing the culinary home cook scene winning accolades for my innovative recipes in cooking contests like the prestigious Dole California Cook-Off, Gallo Family Vineyards, Fiji Water, World Food Championships, and many more. Hallmark Channel’s Home and Family TV recognized me as one of America’s ‘Best Home Cooks’. My cookbook is available on Amazon, Ally’s Kitchen ~ A Passport for Adventurous Palates.
I’ve appeared on Food Network’s ‘Clash of the Grandmas’. In 2019, she was recognized by the Taste Awards as a finalist in the ‘Best Home Chef in a Series’ category. ‘The Lyre’, the national magazine of Alpha Chi Omega, selected me from all sorority chapters nationwide as one of their ten 2019 ‘Real. Strong. Women.’ .
After a nationwide search, I have the distinct honor of being selected by GE Appliances as their ‘Great American Grandma’ I’m now a brand ambassador and influencer for Dole Packaged Foods.
I’m currently busier in my mid 70s than I ever imagined. I work with brands as an influencer that focus on health and longevity. My social media platforms of Instagram and Facebook are exceptionally popular with over three-quarters of a million followers, mostly women (all ages), who are seeking information on health span and living well for decades.
My focus is on food and exercise as well as other things that help keep us vibrant, active and sharp as we progress in life.
With 14 grandchildren and a large blended family, we are always on the go traveling to see family and globally exploring. We love sharing our adventures as energetic 70 and 80-somethings who aren’t slowing down anytime soon!.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, gosh, it’s not a matter of a smooth or rocky road because I didn’t begin this venture as ‘Ally’ until I was about 62. By that time, I’d had a blazing career as an educational pyschologist in private practice. So, my work moving into ‘Ally’s Kitchen’ was just about doing what I loved, cooking.
My ‘road’ along this journey of Ally’s Kitchen has been one of sheer pleasure because I began doing what I’d loved all my life and didn’t really do because I wanted a more professional career. So, I earned undergraduate, masters and doctorate degrees. Being a school psychologist and later an educational psychologist in private practice as my real career.
What happened with the explosion of Ally’s Kitchen was clearly out of my passion to share my life, my food, my love of staying fit and active as Ben and I moved through our 60s,, 70s and now Ben in his 80s.
There was really no ‘pressure’ to make this ‘hobby’ anything other than fun. And, because of that, I believe, it has emerged into a ‘brand’ called Ally’s Kitchen Bohemian Bold.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ally’s Kitchen LLC?
Ally’s Kitchen is basically my brand where I share my love of food and practice the art of longevity every single day.
I love to be the real person who shares their life now at 75 and help others better understand what has crucially contributed to my ability to be as sharp and active now as I was at 40.
I specialize in the ‘art and science’ of living and growing older, not ‘old, with vitality and energy. I think what sets me apart from others is that I walk my walk and talk my talk. My social media ‘family’ see me daily on my platforms. They see me engaged in everyday aspects of living. I share with them many specific things that I think are important to my ‘longevity freedom’ like doing balance exercises every single day.
Defintely brandwise, I’m most proud of my integrity and authenticity. I have devoted followers who listen to me and who are truly making healthier and wiser choices for living that will help pave their path to “longevity freedom”. Yes, we all grow older, but do we want to grow ‘old’ feeble, frail and be at the mercy. I say no I don’t want that and I’ll do the work needed to circumvent, delay or avoid it.
As far as brand offerings and services, much of what I do is ‘free’ to others. They can access wonderful posts and information on my website. I post daily on my main platforms of Instagram and Facebook sharing things, and, yes, even products, that I’ve found valuable to my living.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My best advice for this question of a mentor or networking is to most importantly surround yourself with people who are supportive of you and your endeavors.
When I got into the cooking competition world, I found a circle of fabulous (mostly) women/home cooks who all simply wanted to share their love of food. These women became ‘mentors’ of sorts. We supported each other and while we competed, it was an arena of glory to all and if I’m not the ‘winner’, there’s always the next time.
Maybe this attitude is because my circle of peeps in this food world was mostly mature wise and kind individuals who all had a passionate love of food and good health.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://allyskitchen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyskitchen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allyskitchenbohemianbold/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ally-phillips-22a12b25/
