Inspiring Conversations with Kitura Smith of All About the Mini’s

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kitura Smith.

Hi Kitura, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Sure, I can share my story with you:

My story begins in my grandmother’s kitchen. That’s where I first learned that food wasn’t just something you prepared — it was something you felt. Love lived in her hands, and without realizing it at the time, I was being trained in legacy, excellence, and intention.

Professionally, I spent over 30 years in corporate America supporting C-level executives, including company presidents. I managed high-level operations, oversaw complex meeting and event logistics, and ensured seamless execution behind the scenes. That experience sharpened my eye for detail, elevated my standard of hospitality, and taught me how to anticipate needs before they’re spoken — a skill that now defines my private chef and catering experiences.

While building that corporate career, I catered part-time to support my youngest son’s baseball journey. What began as extra income quietly evolved into purpose.

After navigating multiple corporate transitions and ultimately losing my job during COVID, I had a choice: retreat or rebuild. I chose to build.

In 2020, I officially launched All About the Mini’s, specializing in distinctive tapas-style delights designed to tantalize tastebuds and elevate experiences. What started as a leap of faith has grown into a full-service catering and private chef brand serving corporate clients, schools, nonprofits, and intimate gatherings across metro Atlanta.

Today, I am not just a Celebrity Chef and food stylist — I am a strategic entrepreneur. I’ve trademarked my brands, expanded into product development, and built platforms that merge culinary artistry with business acumen.

This journey is bigger than food. It’s about resilience, reinvention, and honoring legacy while creating something new.

And I’m still rising.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? Ha…Not at all. Transformational? Absolutely.

I went from supporting presidents in boardrooms to betting on myself in the kitchen. There’s no handbook for that kind of pivot. One day you have stability and structure. The next, you’re responsible for every invoice, every client, every dollar, every decision.

COVID forced the leap — but sustaining the business required grit. I had to learn pricing, profit margins, staffing, branding, contracts, and capacity in real time. I’ve experienced slow seasons that tested my faith and busy seasons that tested my systems. I’ve had to distinguish between being popular and being profitable.

Entrepreneurship stripped away comfort and replaced it with clarity. It taught me that talent alone isn’t enough — discipline, strategy, and resilience are non-negotiable.

The road hasn’t been smooth, but it has been defining. Every challenge shaped me into not just a stronger chef — but a sharper CEO.

And that evolution is still unfolding.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I don’t just cater events — I curate experiences.

I am the Founder and CEO of All About the Mini’s, a metro Atlanta-based catering and private chef brand known for distinctive tapas-style delights that tantalize tastebuds and elevate every room we enter. Our signature is in the details: refined small bites, intentional presentation, and seamless execution.

What sets us apart is the fusion of culinary creativity and executive-level precision. Before launching my company, I spent over 30 years supporting C-level executives, including company presidents, managing complex operations and high-level event logistics. That experience now lives inside my brand. We operate with structure, professionalism, and strategy — not chaos.

We are known for our elevated minis — salmon sliders, shrimp & grits shooters, curated charcuterie displays, luxe brunch bites — but what clients remember most is how they felt. Thought of. Served well. Impressed.

All About the Mini’s is a registered trademark and a growing lifestyle brand. I’m proud that we’ve built a name that represents more than food. It represents resilience, reinvention, and excellence. From corporate galas to intimate private chef experiences, we bring intention to every plate and polish to every interaction.

I want readers to know this: when you book my brand, you’re not hiring someone to “drop off food.” You’re investing in a hospitality partner who understands both the kitchen and the boardroom — and who executes in both with confidence.

We don’t follow trends.
We set standards.

And we’re just getting started.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Allow me to break this down for you: There’s Chef Kitura — and then there’s Kitura Smith.

Chef Kitura is the culinary creative. The visionary behind the elevated minis. The experience curator who transforms gatherings into moments people remember.

Kitura Smith is the strategist. The executive-level operator. The speaker. The woman who understands client satisfaction, systems, leadership, and how to build something that lasts.

My journey through corporate America, entrepreneurship, and community leadership has shaped me into more than a chef. I am building a brand that sits at the intersection of hospitality, business strategy, and impact. From serving as a Sector Chair at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs to engaging with leaders through the Atlanta Black Chambers and participating in the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women program, I operate in rooms that require both creativity and clarity.

Speaking is a natural extension of my work. I don’t just create experiences — I teach excellence. I speak on client satisfaction, operational precision, resilience, and what it truly means to pivot with purpose.

What I’m building is bigger than catering.
It’s a legacy brand.

Chef Kitura feeds the room.
Kitura Smith shifts the mindset.

And together, they’re redefining what hospitality leadership looks like.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.allabouttheminis.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefkitura
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allabouttheminis
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chef-kitura/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/allabouttheminis_

Image Credits
Kitura Smith
Gjalove Muhammed
AJ Feurtado