Allie Redshaw

Growing up in Southern Virginia, Allie Redshaw’s love of the Blue Ridge Mountains and tiny, local beaches of the East Coast are interwoven with her roots. After a deep-rooted love affair with Parisian food and a trip that changed her life forever, Allie found herself attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY to pursue her passion in culinary arts. Here she quickly learned the ‘hard-knocks of being a female in the culinary world and the grit that it would take for her to graduate and successfully leave her imprint as a chef. In the course of her studies, while attending the CIA, Allie met her forever love and college sweetheart, Ian Redshaw. Together they took on life and everything it would soon bring including marriage, restaurant openings & closings, two beautiful children, several moves, two dogs, and a pet turtle!

After returning to Virginia, Allie and her family chose to settle in Charlottesville, VA; what they considered to be an eclectic, art & music saturated town with “Hudson Valley” vibes. Allie worked in several restaurants and vineyards over the years holding many different positions and accruing accolades. Despite her intricate training and culinary expertise, one day Allie went to work not realizing that her entire world would be turned upside down. On March 1,2017 at 5:45 am there was a terrible accident that resulted in her right hand being amputated while pregnant with her youngest daughter. To Allie and her husband Ian the darkest day turned into one of their most celebrated. While the loss of Allie’s hand felt all-encompassing and completely life-altering, the life and heartbeat of their baby girl was intact.

Life certainly looked different for Allie’s family after this day, but for her personally with it came a transcending healing process. Unwilling to take heavy pharmaceuticals during recovery because of her pregnancy Allie’s methods for healing became reliant on plant medicine and those who practiced non-traditional medicine. Plant allies, yoga, breathwork, acupuncture, and other eastern medicinal practices have become the scope of health and foundation of life for the Redshaws. Allie has studied Ayurvedic medicine and nutrition and utilizes these methods and practices in her own personal life, but also in the foundation of her family’s business.

So many facets of life were altered when Allie’s accident occurred, but the greatest of all was the trajectory of her career. She could tackle changing a baby diaper one-handed, and breastfeeding with her non dominant hand was tough, but the tools that were once her greatest assets were now her greatest adversaries. How would she hold a knife and make finite cuts with efficiency? What would it look like to be a chef now, or was that dream dead? The answer was simple but deep and scary; the love of her life would change what chasing his dream looked like so they together could form a business that made Allie feel empowered in her body and her ability; from this idea, Sumac Supper Club was born. Sumac is the collaborative love child of two wildly creative souls with exclusive reach and soaring accolades that enables Allie to flow with creativity at a speed that is tailored to her body. Ian is great at being her right hand in the moments of frustration and unsuccess.

Aside from her love of all things food and wellness, Allie has a knack and thirst for adventure like no other. Call it thrill-seeking or adrenaline fueled living, when the mountains or oceans call, her spirit can’t turn away. Through the world of adventure, Allie has found a home among several non-profits that enable those who are differently abled to feel empowered in movement and gain access to needed medical equipment and prosthetics. Amongst these organizations Allie has found family in the Kirstie Ennis Foundation, ROMP (range of motion project), USA Paraclimbing, Sportable, and Beyond Boundaries. Kirstie Ennis of TKEF was the first human to teach Allie how to rock climb adaptively and to provide her with all of the equipment, shoes, and know-how to do so; immediately following this amputee climbing clinic, Kirstie began to sponsor Allie’s endeavors as a paraclimber and mountaineer on national and international levels! It is one of Allie’s greatest missions in life to give platform to the work of organizations like these that have changed her life and the life of her family. She knows first hand the power of access and of community, both of which saved Allie’s life. There are too many in this world experiencing suffering in isolation and we have the power to create change and to make a difference. Not only is there significant fuel behind Allie’s fire to create change, but inclusivity amongst young generations and creating opportunities for marginalized communities is something that her daughters Sawyer (7) and Willow (5) have taken a stance on and will not rest until work has been done. As a family, we have been fed, loved, and cared for by the commitment of others to shift the stigmas around physical difference, and more than ever Allie is ready to stand up and give back.

This trip to Kilimanjaro is a trip that Allie has wanted to take since high school when she did work with the organization Invisible Children. As fervently as she believes in access to medical care for all, the mission for clean water for all is potent and must be rectified. As a mother and a woman, the mission behind each step up this mountain will be in solidarity and in honor of all the steps taken by fellow humans seeking to nourish their families and villages with the basic human right of clean water. Like every mountaineering or climbing trip that presents various challenges, Allie is honored and excited to represent Waterboys and to be a part of such an incredible team of athletes and veterans!