the tasty alternative

It all began one fall day in the Nation's Capital...

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Veronique MacRae’s culinary story is rooted in memory, family legacy, and the sacred connection between food and culture. As a child, she watched her mother—a gifted chef and creative—lead their family’s restaurant and catering business with heart and vision. Her father, an educator and business-minded strategist, not only instilled values of excellence and entrepreneurship, but also deeply supported his wife’s culinary dreams. Together, they modeled what it meant to build something with intention, care, and community at its center.

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Though Veronique’s own culinary gifts would bloom later in life, the foundation had already been laid.

She began her professional journey in the Nordstrom Restaurant Division, working in front-of-house and management roles where she developed a refined sense of hospitality and guest care. Her culinary voice began to fully emerge when she transitioned into the kitchen—starting as a garde manger at Iron Chef José Garces’ former DC restaurant, The Rural Society, where she quickly rose through the culinary line, sharpening her technique and creativity in a fast-paced, high-end environment.

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Veronique went on to serve as Executive Chef at the beloved Potter’s House in Adams Morgan, and her dynamic, flavor-forward style earned her a featured appearance on Cutthroat Kitchen on the Food Network. Her approach is now deeply rooted in ancestral remembrance, cultural celebration, and soul-nourishing simplicity.

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Working alongside Veronique is David Johnson, a cultural strategist and experiential designer whose career spans global branding, live event production, and community engagement. With a portfolio that includes campaigns for Coca-Cola, Stella Artois, and The Macallan, David brings a masterful sense of storytelling and immersive design to every Tasty Alternative experience. Known for his warm, magnetic personality—“never meets a stranger”—he has a gift for turning everyday moments into unforgettable gatherings. His ability to engage and invite people into joyful, soulful spaces is a signature thread that runs through each culinary experience they co-create.

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Together, they launched The Tasty Alternative in 2013. What began as a reimagining of comfort food and global cuisine has grown into a multidimensional platform for curated culinary experiences, ancestral rituals, and cultural immersion programs.

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Signature offerings include:

• Salt + Ash – A sensory-rooted, ancestral culinary ritual that blends food, storytelling, and spiritual remembrance in intimate, intentional gatherings.

• Culinary Passport – A youth-centered cultural immersion program where students “travel” the globe through food, language, and art. Each session introduces regional dishes, traditional customs, and celebratory music from diverse cultures around the world.​

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The Tasty Alternative is one expression of Veronique’s wider creative and spiritual body of work. She is the founder of Stage and Spirit, an evolving platform for ancestral storytelling, ritual theatre, film, educational workshops, and embodied practice. Her work bridges culinary arts, performance, and spiritual inquiry—creating spaces where culture, memory, and imagination meet. Whether through food, story, or sacred design, her offerings are grounded in the belief that creativity is a tool for both personal and collective transformation.

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Whether preparing a meal, guiding youth, or hosting a ritual gathering, The Tasty Alternative is grounded in legacy, creativity, and care. Each experience is crafted to nourish the body, uplift the spirit, and reconnect us to culture, memory, and one another.

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Now serving the Greater Washington, DC Metro area and the Durham/Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. Out-of-area engagements welcomed upon request.