About us.

Food has been engraved in my soul from a young age before attending school.  I was along the side of my grandmother and ancestors in the crop fields harvesting. As I grew up and the neighborhood children were playing I was in the kitchen with my Mom and Grandmother on a chair all in the business.  Through the years all I would here is you cook just like your mom and grandma.  I raised 4 children on welfare so I grew to be a clearance queen and the one who could make anything from nothing in the kitchen.

In 2009 I lost my mother to cancer and became homeless.  I attended Women’s Empowerment and won the SCORE contest for if you had a business.  That is how The Burnt Skillet was born,  hustling sweet potato pies out of my car.  I was asked to showcase the Gala’s dessert.  I made 175 pies for the event.  I joined the homeless leadership club and SHOC (Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee) began marching for Social and Economic Justice. I was frustrated how the system wanted to separate me and my youngest Son.  I was feeding the homeless, hosting underground meetings and showcasing my cooking skills.

As I organized my Tribe and got our lives solid. I bumped into Tina Reynolds at a Safe Ground meeting.  She gave me my 1st job as a housekeeper and she took me and showed me how she began Uptown Studios.  I was not only learning business knowledge.  I was also sharpening my catering skills.  She allowed me to become her caterer and the hostess with the mostest.  I got certified as a Mental Health Peer Partner by the County.  I then went to be a Case Manager for homeless services.  The pandemic erupted two days later and I was diagnosed with Diabetes.  I left my job.  I cannot die, what about my children and 10 grandchildren.  I had followed the CalFresh market match program since 2018  through Alchemist.  

Once I saw there was a Micro Enterprise Academy.  The light bulb went off.  I signed up and got accepted.  Two years later I’m proud to be the Owner/ Operator of my catering company, remember your roots garden, and the vehicle to reach out to the community to support better health. Each event hosted will support the growth and layers connected to The Burnt Skillet.  I’m blessed to be able to make Magic from the Dirt…..