Entrepreneur Judith Cage, known as Chef Judy, started her career after receiving her first catering check from rapper J. Cole. Now, she pays it forward by supporting his music.
J. Cole, the entrepreneur’s benefactor, is currently promoting his new album, “The Fall-Off,” which dropped on February 6. As part of his promotion, the rapper is driving a Honda Civic to different cities to engage directly with fans. For instance, he recently picked up fans in Silver Springs, MD, giving them a ride while playing tracks from the album, according to an X post.
Among the many fans who are praising the album is Cage. She took to Facebook to express her excitement for “The Fall-Off” and shared details of her personal connection with J. Cole.
The chef wrote, “It’s me up at 7am listening to The Fall-Off. The thing is … J. Cole was my first $10,000 catering check. At a time it was needed. I bought my first catering truck which caused me to be able to secure larger opportunities with that money. He welcomed my daughter and I to his house just to feed him and his team on Forest Dr. We catered several video shoots for him right here in Fayetteville. You can’t say nothing bad about him to me. We had some late nights, early mornings, and long days… but I’d do it again.”
In addition to J. Cole’s assistance, the Cumberland County chef achieved national recognition in 2019 when she won a Food Network competition. As reported by ABC11, Cage secured the $10,000 grand prize on the show “Supermarket Stakeout.”
Standing her ground against several other chefs, the local celebrity felt confident. “My confidence kicked in, and I knew that I would win,” Cage shared with the outlet at the time.
Along with her appearance on the show, Cage has also competed in “Chopped,” “Cutthroat Kitchen,” and “Restaurant Impossible.”
Cage started her culinary career in Chicago, nurturing a passion for cooking with friends and family, according to ABC 11. At 17, she joined the military, which became the place where she sharpened her skills.
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She served for six years as a food-service specialist, moving up the ranks and being mentored by French chefs.
By 2019, she had opened three restaurants: Upton’s Chicken and Waffles at Stryker’s Golf Course; Let Me Cater To You at Pope Army Airfield; and Chef Judy’s Jaguar Grill at Johnston Community College.
Today, Cage’s latest restaurant is The Ville Wings & Bar, as reported by The Fayetteville Observer. She informed the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal that the menu honors the city’s culture and the community that has supported Uptown for the past five years.
“The goal here is to go over and really wow the customers on that side of town. I’m excited about that,” she stated, according to the outlet.
The restaurant at 1911 Murchison Road offers wings in 20 distinct flavors. These flavors include honey, chipotle lime, and raspberry jalapeño glaze.
