Today we’d like to introduce you to Candis Jones
Hi Candis, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story begins in New Orleans, Louisiana, where I was born and raised. I grew up in New Orleans East in the 9th ward. Most people would say it’s a rough area now, but it is home to me. My whole family was born and raised in New Orleans, so that will always be home because that’s where my roots are.
I grew up in and around the kitchen, watching my grandparents and parents cook. I was allowed to start cooking at the very young age of 10, with supervision of course. I started with simple breakfast food such as eggs, pancakes, and sausage – things that were easy to cook on the stove. I spent a lot of time at both of my grandmothers houses during the day, after school, and during the summers while my parents were at work.
Both of my grandmothers cooked often, so I learned a lot from them as well as my aunts and uncles. In New Orleans, food and family are often the centerpiece of most gatherings, so I grew up around that and carried that tradition with me.
We ended up moving to Atlanta due to Hurricane Katrina. Once I got to Atlanta in my high school years, I really started to miss home and longed to recreate home in a new place. I started cooking more and really started to enjoy it. I have always felt that sense of home when I was in the kitchen.
It was a pot of red beans and rice that sparked the idea that would kickstart my food entrepreneur journey. I remember cooking some red beans and rice one day, and my mom shared some with a friend of hers. I remember her friend saying, “You could sell this, it’s so good.” It started to click. I was in 11th grade, homesick, I enjoyed cooking, then I finally realized that this was something I could do to make extra money and feel a slice of home at the same time. I was always entrepreneur-minded because I watched my dad run his own business when I was little, so the hustle was always in me. I started selling plates while in high school and called it “New Orleans Style Plates.” I would sell on the weekends to church family, family friends, my friends, and people that were close to us. That slowly grew into people that were friends of people that were close to us.
I graduated from high school and continued to sell plates throughout my college career to make extra money. In 2012 I had graduated and gotten my cosmetology license and started working in a salon, so I had put selling food and cooking on the back burner for a while.
“New Orleans Style Plates” started, as a high school side hustle that would evolve throughout my college years and beyond. Even as I pursued a career in cosmetology at the time, the call of the kitchen never faded.
As I got into my twenties, I started to explore Atlanta more and noticed there were a lot of restaurants falsely claiming “New Orleans-style” food. I got tired of going to these places expecting it to feel and taste like home. In 2019, I decided to be the change and turn my side hustle into a side business, hence New Orleanz Soul Kitchen LLC was born.
I was blessed to have been able to get my ServSafe Food licensing in 2017, and became officially licensed by the state as a business in October 2020, during the pandemic. I had time to build during 2020 with everything going on, so I used the time to my advantage.
As New Orleanz Soul Kitchen continues to grow, I remain true to my roots, infusing every dish with the love, warmth, and rich cultural heritage of the neighborhoods of New Orleans. “We’re coming your way,” I say with a smile, feeling the excitement of sharing spicy jambalaya, creamy étouffée, and the soulful flavors of the Big Easy with my new community and people across the world!
For food lovers in Atlanta and all over the world, the arrival of New Orleanz Soul Kitchen means you no longer have to travel to Louisiana to experience authentic New Orleans cuisine. Thanks to my journey from homesick teenager to culinary entrepreneur, a taste of New Orleans will now be just a click or short drive away. I’m thrilled to bring a piece of my home to yours, one delicious recipe and plate at a time.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been easy, by any means. I thank God for blessing me with parents who have always supported me in my many endeavors and obstacles along my journey. I faced many adversities, health issues, spiritual warfare, etc. The enemy has been trying to take me out, but I trust in God and that has always and will always be my way out of no way. I wasn’t always in this positive space but now that I know the truth I can’t go back to being blind. God brought us from New Orleans during Katrina. We lived in two hotels before finally landing in a place we could call home and I just thank God for keeping me and my family and protecting us always. I thank Him for placing this unique gift inside of me to share with the world.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a passionate cooking and food enthusiast and entrepreneur, specializing in New Orleans cuisine. My journey began with New Orleanz Soul Kitchen as a personal chef and catering service, and now it’s evolving into an exciting Digital Culinary concept.
I still love seeing people enjoy my cooking, so I’ll continue offering plates and might even host some pop-up events. But I’m thrilled to dive into this new digital venture because I also enjoy creating content and giving others the chance to cook authentic New Orleans dishes from the comfort of their own kitchens without breaking the bank.
New Orleans is more than just food; it’s an experience. I want to bring that experience to people all around the world. Some of my signature dishes include my mouth-watering Gumbo and the Nola Soul Plate, featuring City Greens, Hood Yams, Smack n Cheese, Da City Chicken, and Honey Cornbread! And guess what? There may even be a cookbook on the way, so stay tuned!
What sets me apart is that cooking is in my blood—it’s a natural gift, and every dish I make comes from the heart. Fun fact: I can actually smell the aroma of my food while it’s cooking and know exactly what ingredient is missing or not. Weird, right?
I’m most proud of my determination to keep pushing forward, even when times get tough or when others don’t believe in my vision. God has blessed me with the gift to endure because this vision is from Him, and it’s not meant for everyone to understand.
A word of encouragement: if God has given you a vision, trust Him.
Stay tuned for more deliciousness coming your way from New Orleanz Soul Kitchen baby!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Aww man, where do I begin? First, I want to thank my loving parents who have always supported me from the jump. When I first started selling plates on paper plates wrapped in foil (lol), they still supported me! They’ve been my cheerleaders, advocates, teammates, and sometimes even workers for certain events (lol), so I thank them with all my heart.
I also want to thank all of my family and friends who have supported and encouraged me and still do. Your love and support mean the world to me.
And I can’t forget one of the best culinary teachers in the world! When I took my culinary class at Kennesaw State, I had an amazing instructor who was so patient with us and incredibly passionate about the culinary arts. He taught me all the essentials and how to put my own flavor into every dish. I can’t remember his name, but if you’re reading this and taught culinary at Kennesaw State back in 2014-2015, thank you so much! Also a big shoutout to everyone who use to buy from me before I was officially a business. Words can not express how much you all motivated me to really continue to pursue my dreams, and I am forever thankful! ” You can fail a million times and still, you only truly fail when you decide to quit.”- unknown
Thank yall for taking time to read my story and keep reading below to see how you can stay updated with us!
Pricing:
- All recipes on Website – $5
- Menus and food pricing- on website or IG
- Small Event Booking pricing- $600 and up
Contact Info:
- Website: https://neworleanzsk.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neworleanz_soulkitchen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neworleanzsoulkitchen/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@nolacookingwithcandis
Image Credits
Photos by Candis.
