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Sophia “SJ” Thomas is not your typical 13-year-old girl. Instead, she is a chef, entrepreneur, and humanitarian who has been cooking since she was three years old. Her passion for cooking has led her to launch her own brand, SJ Savory Kitchen and SK Cookware, which focuses on providing food recipes and tips to families, as well as creating safe and practical kitchen gear for aspiring chefs.

SJ’s culinary journey began in her family’s kitchen, where she learned how to cook alongside her mother, father, and grandfather. However, her passion for cooking truly took off during the COVID-19 pandemic when she realized that due to the pandemic and the resulting lockdown,many children were at home during school hours and needed to learn how to make meals for themselves.

With her entrepreneurial spirit and desire to help others, SJ launched SJ Savory Kitchen, which provides families with delicious,easy-to-follow recipes and cooking tips. She also started SK Cookware, which sold out in less than a month of release and offers a line of kitchen safety products, including aprons, chef hats, mittens, and pot holders just to make sure that families feel safe when they throw it down in the kitchen.

SJ’s dedication to making a difference in her community does not stop there, she takes it a step further. Her parents are military veterans, so she makes it a point to work with veteran non-profits to send care packages to the military overseas. She also gives to charities such as Victoria’s Voice and No Kid Hungry. Recently, SJ worked alongside her sister to help raise over $150,000 in a fundraiser for Stand Up for Kids, a non-profit that focuses on helping homeless youth.

SJ’s achievements have not gone unnoticed. She has received praise from celebrity chefs such as Rachel Ray, Carla Hall, and Sugar Chef, as well as from Oscar winner Octavia Spencer. In addition, she was awarded the National “Girl of Merit” award in both 2018 and 2019, and in 2022, she received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Senator Lucy McBath.

SJ has also made several media appearances, including guest cooking segments on Fox5’s “Good Day DC,” Fox5’s “Good Day Atlanta,” ABC7’s “Let’s Talk DC,” and ABC7’s “Good Morning Washington.” She has been featured in several print articles, including Authority Magazine and Teen Cruze Magazine, where she made history as the first person of color on the cover

Despite her busy schedule, SJ still finds time to enjoy the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and watching scary movies with her British Shorthair, Logan.

SJ Thomas is an inspiration to young chefs and entrepreneurs around the world. Her dedication to helping others, her passion for cooking, and her drive to make a difference in her community make her a rising star in the culinary world. To learn more about SJ Savory Kitchen and SK Cookware, visit her website at www.sophiajthomas.com  or follow her on Instagram and Facebook @sophiajthomas. For appearances or interviews, please email pr@aoagwllc.com