Hi, I’m Chef Phoenix

A trans chef-artist, healer, and storyteller building something sacred from the embers of my own survival.

The Alchemist Hearth is more than a kitchen — it’s a gathering point for nourishment, creativity, and care. A place where grief meets gratitude, where recipes carry memory, and where no one has to explain why their hunger isn’t just physical.

This project is about soul-hugging food, queer creative space, and community care — all rooted in real life and served with open hands.

I’ve cooked through heartbreak, sung through silence, and found my way forward by feeding others. Now, I’m building the infrastructure to make that sustainable — and that’s where you come in.

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Why It Matters

Let’s be honest — attention spans are short. You’re busy. We’re all tired.

So here’s the truth, quick and clear:

This matters because people are hungry — for food, for rest, for joy, for a place to belong.

The Alchemist Hearth is for the moments no one talks about —

The “I can’t eat that” days.

The “What’s even the point of cooking?” days.

The “I wish someone would just feed me” days.

It’s for those navigating trauma, allergies, queerness, neurodivergence, grief, and growth — often all at once.

Right now, I’m creating meals, building content, and staying visible in a national cooking competition — while not always having the funds to feed myself.

Ingredients cost more. Safe foods are disappearing from affordable stores.

Every dish I post is a choice between sharing something beautiful and stretching my budget thin.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:

• Sunflower seed butter jumped to $11.99 for a small jar

• Mayonnaise options at Safeway now all contain soy, which I can’t eat

• Breakfast biscuits I relied on for quick, safe meals? Discontinued

• My go-to crackers? Gone. I’m down to rice ones that squeak when I chew. They don’t spark joy, but they hold chicken salad when I need to get fed and move on

When 6/8ths of the store is a landmine, every missing item adds up.

This isn’t a luxury project — it’s a way forward. A way to keep working, keep cooking, and keep showing up for people who’ve never seen themselves reflected in food culture before.

As a trans, genderfluid chef with a body full of lived experience, I’ve fed people while starving inside. I’ve made magic on an empty pantry shelf. I’ve held community when I had no place of my own.

That ends here — not just for me, but for anyone else still waiting to feel safe at the table.

This Hearth is about care that remembers you.

Food that listens. Food that belongs to us.

This is queer joy — not just survival.

The joy of being seen, being fed, and being full.

The joy of laughter over comforting beverages, of chosen family around casseroles, of trans love steeped in spices and slow heat.

Because LGBTQIA2S+ people deserve meals that honor our allergies, our bodies, our grief, and our dreams.

Because we’re not just surviving anymore — we’re feasting.

Care is sacred. Shared meals are medicine.

This is how we heal.

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Where Your Support Goes

• Mobile kitchen setup and essential tools

• Permits, pop-up gear, and market fees

• Ingredient costs for public meals and recipe testing

• Accessibility materials: dyslexic-friendly fonts, visual layout, and future braille menus

• Content creation for educational and heart-centered cooking videos

• Mutual aid meals and event hosting for those who can’t afford to pay

• Building a stable home for the Hearth — physical and spiritual

Ways to Support – Reward Tiers

$15 – Spark of Thanks

A digital thank-you ecard sent with love — a glowing ember from my heart to yours.

$35 – Flame to Table

Includes the Spark of Thanks + one of my signature, allergy-aware recipes and the story behind it.

$75 – Tiny Taste Private Experience (Virtual)

Includes everything above + a private video where I cook the recipe for you, and an optional 15–20 min virtual Q&A to talk food, life, or creative process.

$150 – Pantry Alchemy (In Person, Portland Area Only)

I come to your kitchen and cook a soulful meal using what you already have on hand — no grocery run, just pure, intuitive fire.

Includes a custom recipe and the Spark of Thanks ecard.

$300 – Firekeeper’s Feast (Private Chef Dinner)

A multi-course, in-home dinner for you and up to 4 guests. You provide the ingredients — I bring the flavor, the care, and the story.

Includes menu planning, recipes, and the Spark of Thanks.

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Prefer to Pay It Forward?

If you’d like to donate without claiming a reward — or you want your gift to sponsor a meal or experience for someone else — that’s welcome and deeply appreciated.

Just leave a note with your donation or message me directly. Every act of care helps keep the Hearth alive and shared.

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Other Ways to Help

Money fuels the fire, but resources and connections keep it burning.

If you don’t have dollars but do have access to something that could support this project — I’d love to hear from you.

I’m currently seeking:

• A reliable vehicle (van, wagon, or truck) for hauling food, pop-up gear, and eventually a mobile kitchen

• A physical space or shared-use kitchen to host meals, prep work, or community gatherings

• Event space (indoor or outdoor) for pop-ups, soul food nights, or creative collaborations

• Film gear, lighting, or kitchen equipment to help me document and share this journey

• Connections to local makers, farms, venues, or mutual aid projects that align with this vision

If you’ve got something to offer, or you know someone who does, send me a message through the campaign or on Instagram: @the_alchemist_hearth

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Thank You

I believe in building spaces where no one is left out, and no one has to earn their seat at the table.

Thank you for being part of this.

Thank you for helping me carry the flame.

– Chef Phoenix Schwab

Linktree.com/ChefPhoenix

@the_alchemist_hearth on Instagram