DA’ Chunk’Ay  Monk’Ay  began as a pipe dream for Heather. She always envisioned owning her own shop. a hot dog shop, that is. Her dream remained constantly in the back of her mind as she lived her life. Throughout her careers as a truck driver, auto mechanic, and bus driver traveling across the United States with the motorcycle club that she co-founded, Aftermath (not to be confused with Dr. Dre’s record label…LOL) It’s hard to believe that she would wind up working in the kitchen.

In the blink of an eye, her life changed.

In May of 2019, Heather was involved in a severe motorcycle accident; a hit and run that left her leg and hand permanently disabled. If that wasn’t enough to handle, she also suffered from a traumatic brain injury that affected her memory and speech. Bedridden for months, Heather battled through rehab and bouts of depression. With the help of her only daughter, Adrienne, and her sisters, it was a long road to recovery.  

Within two years, after several surgeries and long hours of physical therapy, Heather was able to regain her ability to walk and use of her hand slowly returned. Unfortunately, not enough to return to any of her laborious careers and her short-term memory continues to suffer slightly from the accident. Her doctor encouraged her to find an activity that could help train her brain to recall directions. 

“How about you start baking again?” A joke her daughter had made in the summer of 2020. Heather was known to bake delicious cheesecakes and rum cakes from time to time for her family and friends and they have always loved them! But she never thought of turning her lifelong passion into a career. However, the weight of the cake pans would’ve been too heavy for her to hold with her weakened wrist. So what was Heather to bake? She didn’t know. In the midst of a global pandemic, trapped in lockdown, she now had all the time in the world to think about it. 

In the Fall of 2020, Heather regained enough muscle strength to begin exercising again. Nothing crazy, just an hour (or two) walking on the treadmill. A huge accomplishment! The gym manager  that she eventually befriended mentioned he was looking for a protein snack that he could eat before his workouts.  

Ding!  That’s when the lightbulb went off. 

“I can make you something!” A few days later, the manager had a fresh-baked box of protein peanut butter cookies. Within 24 hours he had devoured all the cookies and contacted her for another box. Word spread throughout the little gym community and soon, staff and patrons alike were looking to place an order with her.  Their positive feedback is what gave Heather the motivation to move forward and turn her pipedream into a reality.

And that’s how DA’ Chunk’Ay Monk’Ay was born. From peanut butter protein cookies, that are still on our menu today!     

For some time, Heather struggled to recall the recipes that she would bake with her late mother and older sister. Eventually, through trial and error, she was able to recreate her classics: yummy chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin. She also added a fun twist to classic recipes like cheesecake and lemon meringue. These recipes have found their way from the Seasonal section of our menu to the Crowd Favorites, so now you can get them all year-round! From our originals, to sugar free or vegan, Heather prides herself on being able to make cookies that will satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth regardless of your dietary needs.  

Heather has gone from being a SEPTA bus driver in Philadelphia to a full time baker! She alone does everything, from the creation of the recipe, to the baking and packaging. She’s definitely a one-woman show in the kitchen, but leaves the rest of the work to us, her daughter and baby niece! ! From the website, to social media, customer service, and official taste testers, we’ve helped her share her renewed love of baking with the rest of the world. (#StayInYourLane)

With the support of her family, her community, and the sheer determination to not let her setback become her downfall, Heather is slowly evolving DA’ Chunk’Ay Monk’Ay into a black owned business that you’ll be buzzing about around the world.