Today we’d like to introduce you to Holli Bell-Tells.
Hi Holli, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started HolliMade Catering and Creations simply because I love a good homemade meal and there’s aren’t any restaurants around here with that taste I was searching for. That’s actually how I came up with the name HolliMade. It’s a play on my name Holli and the fact that I make everything homemade from scratch “HolliMade”. I started cooking around the age of four years old. My Grandmother and Mom got tired of me taking real food out the kitchen to make play food, so they taught me how to prepare food for real. I’ve always been obsessed with buttermilk biscuits and buttermilk cornbread. Those were the two items I was in charge of cooking once I perfected my Grandmother’s bread recipes. And from there, I’ve been cooking from scratch every since. Throughout the years, I have taught muse ways to take old school recipes and jazz them up a little.
After my Grandmother passed away in September 2014, I knew that her good cooking would live in me forever. I started catering because I wanted others to experience good homemade food on a larger scale and even from the comfort of their own home. I love seeing someone’s facial expressions once they taste the food for the first time. It makes me so happy knowing that I’m able to provide a great meal and flavorful experience to each of my customers. The creation part of my company’s name comes from me creating a variety of foods from different cultures and also sweet treats. I don’t like limiting myself to any one thing when there’s a world of possibilities when it comes to what we eat. I make everything homemade, from sweet treats to soul foul and everything in between. My customer name it and I make it!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road hasn’t been smooth. Building clientele and learning the overall food business itself comes with a lot of struggles. Building clientele was hard at first because people are just not going to eat your food simply because you say it’s good. However, once I started to put myself out there over the years and making small plate sales here and there and cooking for family and close friends, people starting coming from everywhere. Word of mouth and social media has been a blessing for my company. One post can elevate your business in a major way!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about HolliMade Catering and Creations?
HolliMade Catering and Creations is my business name. I am the owner and cook. It’s a catering company that specializes in making homemade food and treats from scratch. I’m known for allowing my customer to set or make up their own menu and allowing me to execute it to their liking. That also set me apart from other caterers in my area because I don’t have a set menu list per se. Not having a menu allows the total customer control over what they’ll like to have on their menu. I do offer a small tasting of the menu that they have chosen before the actual event so that they can get a taste of what’s to come. I’m most proud of my brand because it reflects who I am. I’m down to earth and constantly finding ways to jazz things up in my life, just as I do in my food. I would like readers to know that food doesn’t have to be boring just because it’s an old recipe or the same foods you grew up on. Change it up a little and put your own spin on it. They can contact HolliMade Catering and Creations anytime for a sweet treat, vegan meal, or a good ole soul food plate and I’ll be sure to add a little sweetness to their day!
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’ll go with good luck. Good luck has played a major role in my life and business. Good luck pushed my business to the next level, even during the pandemic. I gain even more business since the pandemic, actually.
Contact Info:
- Email: Hollimadecreations@gmail.com
- Instagram: HolliMadeCreations
- Facebook: HolliMade Catering and Creations
- Twitter: HolliMade
