08/07/2026
Yesterday was one of my favorite annual days at the Tavern ❤️
I spent the day planning and preparing a seasonal sandwich special inspired by a “foodie” experience I had years ago.
Lo and behold, a very special lady had seen the post and made the trip all the way here to get said sandwich. But for me, her visit meant so much more.
You see, this woman saw something in me many years ago that I couldn’t quite see in myself yet.
Back then, we had a weekly “soup club” at work where we all took turns making a recipe to share with the group at lunchtime. I was SO excited when my turn came around, and I always took the opportunity to take things up a notch 😂
I found so much joy in the whole process from choosing the recipe, to sourcing the ingredients, to preparing and completing the meal. And then came the best part…sharing it with people. It felt like I was nourishing them with a bowl of my happiness 🥣🥰
The lady I’m speaking of was the big boss of the organization I worked for, and she was also an active participant in our soup club.
Somehow, after many months of these shared meals, the idea came up that it would be wonderful to have lunches like that prepared more often. She had seen the spark in me during my turns, and together with some other folks, she offered me the opportunity to begin preparing meals multiple times a week for interested team members.
I jumped into the deep end, both feet first, and spent quite some time doing this thing that truly fulfilled my spirit. From there, with her support and encouragement, I also had the privilege of catering a few all-staff parties.
By then, I was officially “bit by the bug,” if you will 😜
Little did I know that this was just the beginning of what was to come.
She helped me discover something that would become such a meaningful part of my life…that my love of food was a gift I could share with the world.
So, from the bottom of my heart, I give thanks to you, Natasha 💝
Thank you for seeing my potential when I couldn’t quite see it myself. Thank you for giving me a field to grow into, for encouraging me to step into it, and for continuing to support me to this day.
I get to live my dream because you gave me the opportunity to spread my wings🥹💓
And to all of you fine folks who joined us for yesterday’s special, and to all of you who continue to show up for us, week after week, THANK YOU 🙏🏼
Thank you for making our dream come true.
We couldn’t do it without you🍀💝🍀