Today we’d like to introduce you to Britney McCrary.
Britney, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Opal’s Kitchen was founded in December 2017 in my grandmother’s kitchen, a year after we lost the patriarch of our family. In that same kitchen is where my grandmother, Opal, covered our entire family in her prayers, the same kitchen she fed the neighborhood with and the exact same kitchen I studied in growing up. My grandmother did not have much but she made sure she fed and cooked for her family every single day. Through this love, a bond was created between us in the kitchen.
I transitioned back to Atlanta in 2016 to help care for my grandpa, who at the time was battling stage 3b lung cancer. He died seven months later and after his passing, my grandmother and I were looking at each other perplexed, thinking what do we do now? We were sitting in her kitchen a year later, preparing for the holidays when she shared her lifetime dream of opening a restaurant. I will always believe that it is never too late to make dreams a reality and Opal’s kitchen was born right there in that space.
We started selling small breakfast meals and her infamous sour cream pound and strawberry cake. Feeling very much like a hypocrite because I did not eat the food I was selling, due to changing my eating habits after watching my grandpa pass. Meal prep was then incorporated into the business so that I could balance out my diet, as well as the people around me. Diabetes, congestive heart failure and a host of other diseases do not run in my family, unhealthy food habits do. So I decided to be the change I wanted so eagerly for my family and friends and break the generational curse.
I now consider myself a modern health and wellness enthusiast. Working out is cool but eating healthy is even cooler and if I cannot control anything going on in my life, I can control what I put into my body. The generational curse of unhealthy eating has ended with me and these healthy habits will be passed on to my future generations.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. Here we are approaching year three in business and I find myself wanting to give up in different seasons. I have struggled with building a team and realizing that I cannot do everything on my own. Upon this realization, I hired a brand manager. I now have a marketing and logistics teammate as well as an assistant. In growing with the business, the greatest lesson I have learned is to invest in your craft and hire help in the areas you are weak in.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are a health-conscious food business specializing in boutique event catering and meal prep and planning. We are known for our tasty, healthy meals, as well as our infamous shrimp and grits. In one particular season, I was praying to God, asking him to reveal my purpose outside of my career. It was a friend’s birthday and she requested shrimp and grits, a meal I can make with my eyes closed. At the party, everybody was going crazy over this dish and I was very perplexed. People began to inquire about the food and if I catered. As I formed my lips to say no, my best friend said yes and we have been catering events ever since.
I am most proud of a business that truly reflects my lifestyle. I began meal prepping for myself and lost 30 pounds in three months, just by following my own meal plan. My friends and family can tell you that I do not play about the food I put into my body and it is actually starting to rub off on the people in my circle. I want to live a long prosperous life and it begins with the choices I make daily. I am adamant about my workout routine and creating healthy meals that anyone would enjoy. In fact we just dropped a Healthy Lifestyle Edition eCookbook, which includes over 40 recipes that will help you transition to a healthier lifestyle.
What sets my company apart is that we are dedicated to sourcing the freshest produce and providing quality meals. Depending on the season, we source our produce from African-American farmers and we are in the process of planning our very own kitchen garden.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was so full of dreams and hope, wanting to be something different for my family. Always envisioned myself as a doctor because I wanted so desperately to save my grandmother from her illnesses. I have always been full of life, or “sassy” as some would call, even as a child. My mother was a teacher that did not play about my grades, so academics has always been a strong point for me. Naturally always been a leader that took an interest in cheerleading and dancing. I graduated at the top of my class at Frederick Douglass High School and went on to Tuskegee University and obtained a biology degree.
Pricing:
- Meal prep $13/meal
- Healthy Lifestyle Edition eCookbook $17.99
- Logo/Quote T-shirt $27.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Opalskitchenllc.com
- Phone: 404-480-0397
- Email: contact@opalskitchenllc.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/opalskitchenllc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/opalskitchenllc
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/opalskitchen
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Opalskitchen
Image Credit:
S3P (@Savag3_productions)
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