Chef Regina James is bringing love and hope to the community one caramel cake at a time. James, a Louisiana native, and husband Pastor Jarvis James, who hails from St. Louis, are self-described urban missionaries. They established the TBOC Church (Take Back our Community) seven years ago, and in their respective ways have been nurturing the community ever since. “Our goal was to live among, and bring hope to, the people,” says James. “Everything I make is made with love.”
James’ catering business – Lady J’s Kitchen – has operated out of a commercial space in East St. Louis since 2011, but soon it will be moving to a brick-and-mortar facility at 3101 Union Avenue where it will share a building with TBOC. There, she will expand her offerings to include more of the Southern specialties her customers love. That means more Creole chicken spaghetti, more shrimp and grits, more gumbo and a lot more of that caramel cake. Her number one selling dessert, however, is peach cobbler cheesecake (pictured at right). “I take a lot of care. People come in droves for it,” she says, adding that it’s all about the crust. Big square hunks sell for $5, while an entire cheesecake enough for 12 starts at $40.
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James says she looks forward to partnering with TBOC to educate others about the catering business since one of the nonprofit’s main initiatives is to teach entrepreneurial skills. “One of its chief goals is to emancipate people from welfare and restore the community,” James explains.
In another gesture of goodwill, on Sunday, November 19 at TBOC, James plans to feed 1,000 people “an early Thanksgiving dinner,” free of charge.
Lady J’s full menu can be accessed on her website, ladyjskitchen.net
