In celebration of Black History Month, we’re honoring the unique stories + experiences of the people who make up the many layers of our community. Today, we’re proud to highlight a CHSWF team member, Dominique McCloud. Dominique is a mother of one and has a deep passion for food; she has always loved the camaraderie that came with cooking a great meal. Growing up, the kitchen was where her family taught her all about the joys of preparing a meal, and in the last few years she turned her passion into her purpose by opening up Sun of a Brunch Catering. During the pandemic, her company launched its first product, Moody’s Ginger Lemonades, which is an ode to her late grandfather. Dominique, a self-taught chef, has a knack for putting a twist on southern soul food recipes into delicious bites. She plans on expanding her brand’s products into local retail stores and beyond. Cooking has been such a center point for joy in her own family and she wants to bring it to yours.
who taught you to cook and how do you honor them?
My family was most influential in my cooking style. Specifically my Grandmother, Georgia, affectionately known as Levan. Where I am from she is known to cook for anyone who asks her to. So as a little girl and while she was living she taught me so many things about cooking, how to preserve food, and most things I know about preparing a good meal. I honored her and my Grandfather by starting my business Sun of a Brunch Catering which is an ode to all the recipes they passed down to me.
How has food influenced who you are as a person?
Food has influenced me in so many ways but at my core food is my happy place. I love to cook my food for people because it feeds their soul. Food to me brings people from all walks of life to the same table and we learn so much when we gather in this way.
What legacy do you want to leave?
The legacy I will leave to have Moody’s Ginger Lemonades (my Grandfather’s recipe) and have a line of frozen items in retail stores nationwide from recipes my grandmother created.