Lexis Gonzalez is the co-owner of Lady Lexis Sweets. Her love for desserts as a child grew to a career in the culinary world. Her parents were big foodies that would try all different types of recipes and venture to different restaurants. After not feeling satisfied with studying accounting, she left business school to study culinary arts at City Tech in Brooklyn, NY. From cookies to handmade candies, Lexis creates treats that reflect her Boricua Geechee upbringing (Puerto Rican and Charleston, SC) Lexis has since been featured in NYCWFF, Black Chef Series, and Essence. Now Lexis creates foods and desserts for her clients where they can try the foods her family would make for her growing up.

Lexis joined Chef Marcus Samuelsson this year to raise money for his nonprofit Harlem Eat Up! During this virtual cookalong they each did a take on one of our newly created Recipe Builder meals. 

While Lexis was prepping her meal, we asked her a few questions:

Q. You’re known for Lady Lexie Sweets which you and your mom run together in Harlem, and which by the way we are obsessed with! How did you get started? 

A. Nobody could say no to dessert. That’s how we got to the cookie concept. Nobody says no to cookies either, even on their worst day. I started with a card table right outside, from there I graduated bought a shop around the corner in the building I live in

Q. You also specialize in Boricua Geechee cuisine, can you explain a bit about what that is?

A. Boricua Geechee is a combination of regional flavors. Boricua is Puerto Rican, where my dad is from, and Geechee is from the low country of Charleston, where my mom is from. Some of our dishes are Pastelon, Fried Chicken & Coquito Waffles, Boricua Geechee Hash, and Collards N Neck Bones. We make a lot of great food derived from West Africa as well.

Q. Lexis, what are some of your favorite ingredient combinations for a pasta dish? 

A. I love to use collard greens in anything. Growing up I had collard greens only one way: neck bones in a pot stewing. So trying collard greens in pasta is the best of both worlds. I love pasta, love collard greens, so this is my favorite. 

Q. What is your favorite pasta shape? 

A. Bucatini! I used to love this as a kid; the shape is like spaghetti with a whole in the middle, like a straw, who can resist slurping sauce from it! I was so excited to see it become popular again. The taste of having sauce in the middle of the pasta tastes so good.

Q. Lexis, can you share with us a secret to your success, or any tips for those cooking along at home? 

A. Set those goals, write it out, and I think it will come to light. If you put it in the universe it will work itself out. Don’t let the “no” stop you. You’re still the same person, you gotta keep going.