Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandy Sunshine.
Hi Brandy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I took a leap of faith “trust fall” and birthed Soul Good Kitchen LLC. For three years, I have been doing some of my most fulfilling work as a personal chef, where I get the opportunity to enter the hearts and homes of our senior neighbors. Through this, I have gained a newfound appreciation for community, patience, and presence.
I feel blessed to grow as I go and, much like my pie, savor life down to the last morsel. My goal now is to expand and offer culinary workshops to all who want to grow in the kitchen.
Welcome to the Family
By Brandy Sunshine
I was in foster care until the age of nine and then adopted. I didn’t know how unique my life was until grade school. I was in first grade when one of my classmates asked me, “Why are you Black, but your mom is white?” I did what any kid would do; I went home after school and I asked my mom the question. I don’t remember what her response was. But I never quite stopped thinking about it.
I always had a thing for cooking and creating in the kitchen as far back as I can remember. For dessert my mom would bring home a store-bought pumpkin pie. I grew up eating the way my mom ate. However, the first time I tried homemade sweet potato pie was with my childhood best friend, who lived next door. I was hooked; there was no comparison.
As my life evolved, so did my pie. So many loved ones have inspired my pie. I added different spices and flavors along the way and really made the sweet potato pie my own, Sort of like my life. Food is a language understood by every human being, where you taste the culture of another without a spoken word. I just needed A chance to share my gift with the world.
In June 2020, I was laid off during the pandemic. My then-seven-year-old son Dwight said, “Mom, don’t worry about losing your job. I will become an engineer and build robots that make video games and spit out money.” I told my son that I believed in him and that I would become an engineer, too—a “food engineer.” I wasn’t even sure if it was a thing, but then I remembered my brother’s business advice years ago. He said get really good at selling one thing.
One day during that time, I looked in the fridge and saw three sweet potatoes given to me by my neighbor Kenny. I decided to try out a new sweet potato pie recipe, and much like my life I made it my own.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Making space for Small minority -family owned businesses to BE SEEN, SUPPORT and CELEBRATED. Given platforms to connect face to face and heart to heart on a continued basis to openly share thoughts and ideas with our more established neighborhood partners . We are stronger together than we are apart.
Thank you allowing me to share my obstacles /challenges operating and thriving as a small community based business, especially food. I share concerns with many other small women owned family businesses about our unserviced and marginalized communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of our legislate . I am not a political professional However, I am a Community Food Educator. I am a healthy, living, breathing testament of the “healing power of food” that has changed my life and the lives of many others.
Food is medicine and is the “first line” of defense against resisting diseases in our bodies. My life’s ministry is to educate our community that true healing and overall health begins from the “inside out” no matter what obstacles be that social, economical , political or racial that we may be currently facing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Our Inspiration
Soul Good Kitchen is about the gift that food brings to the ones you love. Soul Good Kitchen means: “Open Door”, literally and figuratively speaking. An unfettered labor of unconditional love that is felt with an “mmmm” in every bite. A place to learn and explore a new way to enjoy your food with boundless opportunities. Mindful meals created with you in mind.
Soul Good Kitchen isn’t just “another” meal. It’s “love in action”. The Kitchen is magic. Something that cannot be described, yet felt, appreciated and shared with everyone who enters into this sacred space. Whether I am lovingly serving you in your own kitchen, or demonstrating to you how to feed you and your loved ones, it’s all done in unconditional love. My “Gran” taught me not only how feed those that I love, most importantly how to accept each other as is. Food is Love in Action.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in “luck”. Everything is working out exactly like it’s supposed to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.soulgoodkitchen.com
- Instagram: soulgoodktchn
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandy-sunshine-218664171
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/HBpGVpIp4bc?si=DdYIZN1oZFHgnesg
- Other: https://blinq.me/4Unk0NJ6QxpAi271ZSAl?bs=db
