To learn the story of chef-entrepreneur Jackie Jackson, read the Wall of Painted Poems at her new San Jose restaurant, “Jackie’s Place.”

There’s “Hondo, TX”, Jackson’s birthplace, and so many family recipes. And “(408) BELIEVE”, for San Jose, where she graduated from Piedmont Hills High School and took root after a few years in Santa Barbara. Words to follow: “Don’t forget your roots”, “#BLM” and “Don’t Be Eye Candy, Be Soul Food. »A tribute to the desserts of his mother and grandmother, which occupy dear places on the menu:” Sweet potato pie from Laverne “and” Buttermilk pie from Mama Frankie “.

And above all: “It’s a family thing.

After a difficult year in which she lost her restaurant on Sixth Street first to the COVID-19 shutdown and then, last May, to a fire, Jackson emerged with a new restaurant. in large and spacious excavations. The address has long been a favorite on the San Jose food scene: 840 N. First St.

We met this caterer turned restaurateur to learn about her culinary history, discover the soul food and barbecue menu and find out what she has planned for this next chapter. (Spoiler alert: Jambalaya is coming.)

Q: Who first inspired you to cook?

A: I never had any professional training per se, but I learned from a professional. I have been cooking since I was about 8 years old. I was taught by my mother, Laverne Ford, who was a chef for most of her adult life. She had a present in the kitchen. Everything she cooked up was amazing and looked beautiful. (As a kid, I also loved watching cooking shows with Julia Child and Yan Can Cook!)

We had a large family and with that, large family reunions. Food was at the forefront of our lives, and cooking was the activity my mom and I did together. She not only taught me how to cook, but also how to cook for large groups of people. I ended up raising eight kids so this was one of the best skills I could have learned. I don’t think I can cook for less than six people!

Q: You built a career in the restaurant business before opening your first brick-and-mortar business in 2018. What types of events?

A: My first official restoration job 27 years ago was for a high school graduation ceremony hosted by the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. It was for 300 guests, and I managed to do it in a small Alum Rock banquet hall kitchen on my own. I started dealing with close friends and family, then their business associates and colleagues, and eventually my business and client list expanded to companies like TiVo, the San Francisco 49ers. , the City of San Jose and the Morrison & Foerster law firm.

Q: You are a rarity: you reopened to a larger space during the pandemic. How did the location of North First Street come about?

A: After last year’s fire, we had to take the time to regroup and figure out what our next moves would be. Honestly, we weren’t sure how to move forward, especially in the midst of a pandemic. Our Japantown location was condemned, and reopening didn’t seem like an option.

One day, one of our employees contacted us to let us know that there was a building on North First Street for rent. I was hesitant, but decided to check it out anyway. The moment I entered the building I knew this place would be the new Jackie’s Place. The owners of the premises, Louis and Effie Pappas, welcomed me with open arms! They were kind, accommodating and reassuring. You don’t meet people like this all the time.

It wasn’t until I met them that I realized I had been to this place before. It used to be the Bold Knight restaurant, and my church hosted a Christmas gala in the banquet hall. My mother, who was suffering from dementia at the time, was there. She barely spoke, but while visiting the restaurant with the Pappas family, I realized this was the place where my mom sang her last solo.

Everything became clear to me. I needed to reopen! Not only to carry on its heritage, but to create a place where memories are formed. A place that my children and their children would be proud of. A place where the community can become a part of the JP family.

Q: What is your dish of pride and joy?

A: I take pride in all of my dishes and cook each one with love, but one of my favorite dishes is the smothered chicken, not only because it’s saturated with sauce, but because it brings me back to those get-togethers. family. That’s what soul food is for. This is the type of food that should give you comfort.

Q: Someone is walking into your restaurant for the first time. What should they order?

A: Combination plate The best of both worlds. It’s all in the name. We specialize in soul food and barbecue, so why not buy both? You also get two sides: your choice of macaroni and cheese, candied yams, collard greens, fried corn, potato salad, cornbread or many more options. When it comes to desserts, our Banana Pudding and Sweet Potato Pie are second to none.

Q: Are there new dishes on the North First Street menu?

A: We now serve chicken, waffles and oxtails every day. We’ve added entrees, soups, sandwiches and bar drinks, and we’ll be adding fried green tomatoes, jambalaya, and shrimp hush puppies very soon.

Q: What advice would you give to other women of color with entrepreneurial dreams?

A: I am a Christian and sincerely believe that everything in life is according to God’s purpose. I could have left in 2020 after the pandemic and the fire, I could have counted my losses and not met the Pappas family … but if I really take a moment to think about it, all of these things were needed to bring me where I am today.

My new role model is the advice I would give: “For every setback, God makes a major comeback. If you are passionate about your job and love what you do, don’t let tribulations weigh you down. Keep this dream and keep going!

Details: Open for outdoor dining and take-out from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday to Saturday. Look for indoor meals at social distance to start in late May. 840 N. First St., San José. 408-490-4653; www.jackiesplacesj.com

by the staff of Alexandria Living magazine

February 24, 2021

8:05 p.m.

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – In 2014, Melvin Lockett and his mother noticed a lack of soul food restaurants in the area. It was then that they opened the food for the soul of Khi & Eli, named after the eldest sons of Melvin. Melvin attributes their success to the recipes of his mother and family.

“My mom all her life has been like, ‘Someday I’m going to find myself a restaurant. I’m going to have a restaurant,’ Melvin said.

They started looking for their next location in 2019, now it has just opened on High Street in Holyoke. The pandemic has changed things for them, but not for the worse.

“When it comes to platforms like Grubhub, Uber Eats, Door Dash, it helps a lot. People are at home, they don’t really feel safe going out too often, so you can always have your food delivered, ”Melvin said.

Soul food originated in the south as food given to slaves on the plantations. Now the circle is complete to become a profitable business.

“What’s so amazing about our culture is that no matter what is thrown at us, we will turn lemonade into lemons. We will make the most of it, ”said Melvin.

The term “soul food” originated in the 1970s during the Black Power movement. And as for the opinions of its customers …

“It’s okay. It’s the best answer ever. It feels so good. It gives you the motivation to keep going,” said Melvin.

His mother runs the original location on Sumner Avenue in Springfield while he takes care of the new one.

Their hours of operation on Sumner Avenue are Wednesday through Friday from noon to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The High Street opening hours are:

• Tuesday to Friday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday 13h00-20h00
• Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

With a Southern Grill soul, a quick and casual soul food restaurant owned by chef Keith Kash, will open next month on Breckinridge Boulevard in Duluth.

Kash, who also owns Who’s Got Soul Southern Café and Who’s Got Soul Mobile Gourmet food truck, grew up in Harlem but has deep family roots in the South. Her mother and father were born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, and Raeford, North Carolina, respectively. Kash credits his mother for his longtime love of Southern cooking and cooking.

Once opened, Who’s Got Soul Southern Grill will serve a menu of dishes described as “hybrid” soul food to provide patrons with a “healthy and authentic interpretation” of soul food classics. This includes offering a section on the menu of Southern-inspired salads, a selection of grilled and grilled vegetables, and a few vegan options, as well as staples like lamb chops, turkey wings, dinners of whiting fillet and fried chicken.

The counter service restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating on its patio. Spaces will be limited during the pandemic. Among the murals on the walls inside the restaurant, one created by local artist Demont Pinder depicts the Harlem subway station near where Kash grew up in New York City.

Open for lunch and dinner, from Tuesday to Sunday. Masks required. Limited places. Online take-out ordering will be available.

3580 Breckinridge Boulevard, Duluth. wgssoutherngrill.com.

But guests also return because the atmosphere is laid-back and the owners and staff are friendly. The fare and ambiance are reminiscent of the comforts of home and reminiscent of their grandmother’s kitchen – which is owner Garlan McPherson’s inspiration.

As McPherson prepares to move from the cottage at 2242 E. Commerce St. which houses Ms. Kitchen to a much larger space at 5237 Walzem Road in Windcrest, he thinks his grandmother is smiling at him.

“You did well,” he thinks.

McPherson, who grew up East and North, decided to open the restaurant in 2011 after serving as a probation officer for Bexar County. He wanted to work for himself, he said, and as a child he had watched his grandmother cook.

Some doubted he would succeed in the neighborhood.

“I said, ‘No, you can,'” McPherson said.

On ExpressNews.com: Review: Ms. Kitchen delves into soul food on the East Side

Ms. Kitchen has become popular with San Antonio residents and foreigners alike. Staff started taking postcodes to see where customers were coming from; they came from all over town, McPherson said.

He said he was looking to give back to the community, employing neighborhood friends and offering large portions that could feed a family at affordable prices.

As more customers entered the roughly 1,700-square-foot home and struggled to find parking, McPherson said he began to pray and search for a bigger place to rent several years ago. years.

The coronavirus pandemic that took hold in San Antonio last spring made spacing constraints even more difficult. McPherson closed the restaurant and set up a makeshift drive-thru for takeout orders, but business took a hit.

He was primarily looking for a new location on the East Side, he said, but finding a large venue with ample parking and readily available was difficult. Plans to move to another location down the street did not come to fruition.

Then an opportunity to take over a space of around 8,000 square feet in Windcrest came along, with tables, chairs and plenty of room to spread out customers.

“We have to take our chances when it comes our way,” he said. “Now bring the tour buses, bring them all.”

McPherson had been specific in his prayers — he wanted a kitchen with red flooring and drainage, for example — and he said God answered.

“When I looked down, I saw this floor, I said, ‘God is so real,'” he said. “It just (brings) you to tears, how wonderful he is during this time.”

Ms. Kitchen will be opening her new digs soon, and McPherson plans to make a few additions to the menu. Prices will still be reasonable, he said, although portions may be slightly smaller. Rent is higher in Windcrest.

He could eventually open other businesses.

“I plan to come back and do things,” McPherson said of the East Side. “Now I can come back, and eventually things will get better and I can open another business on the East Side.”

On ExpressNews.com: The Troubled East Side project moves forward

Betty Braden, who lives near Ms Kitchen’s former East Commerce location, said she was sad to see the restaurant disappear.

Mrs. Kitchen’s fried chicken, pork chops, collard greens and green beans are favorites of her and her husband, Gene. The prices are good, she says, and the servers are friendly.

The couple, real estate developers, often took customers to restaurants. McPherson looked at space in a former Handy Andy distribution center near the AT&T center they’re redeveloping, Braden said.

“Their food is delicious,” she said. “It’s good home cooking.”

The Bradens can make the trip to Windcrest from time to time, she said, but it will be a planned outing instead of a quick trip down the street for lunch.

“I don’t know of any other restaurants like Ms. Kitchen in the area, so I think that type of food…there will be a vacancy there,” she said.

Tee Tee Bass-Merritt, who has been dining at the restaurant for around four years, plans to clear her schedule for the opening day of Mrs Kitchen in Windcrest. (McPherson has yet to set an opening date.)

She recently visited the new location and is thrilled that it is bigger and closer to where she lives in the Converse area.

“Once I went to Mrs. Kitchen, I was addicted to food,” Bass-Merritt said. “It feels like home.”

She first found the restaurant while searching for local soul food and black-owned businesses.

Aside from the food – “everything I’ve eaten is good,” she said, although she has a soft spot for smothered pork chops, candied yams and macaroni and cheese – the service , prices and family ownership stand out.

“It’s a bit of an all in one thing,” she said.

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A new soul food cafe that finds many uses for Maryland’s giant chunk crab meat opens tomorrow in Capitol Heights, Maryland. In A Minute Café comes from longtime friends and chefs Reginald Mack and Steven Wilson, whose respective restaurant businesses have dried up during the pandemic.

“When COVID-19 hit, it slowed everything down. All catering contracts have been canceled, ”Mack said.

The two decided to team up and turn the catering kitchen for Wilson’s Minute Events into a new delivery location that sells crab cakes, crab fries, BLT crab cakes on a buttery brioche bun and a LochMess Monster chicken cheesesteak topped with crab dip. The fried or blackened catfish arrives with accompaniments like macaroni and cheese, fried rice, yams, cabbage or asparagus. Wing orders ($ 1 each; five minimum) are brushed with Hennessy, Old Bay, jerk, or lemon pepper sauce. Dessert calls for peach cobbler or freshly baked cookies.

Pickup and delivery times are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday (closed Sunday).

In a Minute Cafe / official photo

“The food is ready in a minute,” Mack says, explaining the name. “The neighborhood is willing and ready – they were waiting for this. “

Wilson let Mack use his commercial kitchen for catering concerts. Now the pair have room for around 10 seats if they decide to allow dining inside down the line.

“The kitchen is dynamite. I had a food truck and these are really small inside – now I have two deep fryers, ”says Mack.

Another soul food place, Uncaged Chefs, recently opened in District Heights, Maryland. He’s also known for his over-the-top dishes like Cajun crab fries topped with crab cakes or fried lobster with Hennessy and Teddy Graham French toast.

Mack is happy to see black-owned businesses garnering more attention as part of a growing social justice movement.

“There is no better time than the present,” says Mack.