Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Queenie Vesey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Queenie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

I’ve always loved cooking. Growing up in Iowa by way of Mexico, MO , the kitchen was my sanctuary, the place where I felt most alive. But starting a business? That felt as far-fetched as winning the lottery. I didn’t have a culinary degree, a business background, or even much savings. All I had was my love for food, a tiny garden, and a dream.

It all started with a me taking horticulture classes my senior year! Shout out to class of 2002! I’d been growing herbs and veggies in my backyard for years, and I started selling extras to make a little cash. One day, a regular customer asked, “What do you do with these tomatoes? They’re the best I’ve ever tasted!” I told her about my roasted tomato sauce recipe, and she said, “Girl, you need to sell that.”

That night, I couldn’t sleep. The idea of selling my sauces, my recipes, my heart in a jar, kept turning in my head. I grabbed my phone and typed into Google: How to start a business in St. Louis, MO. I didn’t know where to begin, but Google became my best teacher. I learned about LLCs, food licenses, and health department regulations. Step by step, I pieced together a plan.

The paperwork wasn’t the hardest part—getting over my fear was. I didn’t have anyone to guide me. I didn’t know if people would take a Black woman with no degree seriously in the food world. But I couldn’t let that stop me. I kept reminding myself: Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can.

I took what little money I had and invested in mason jars, a label maker, and some inkjet paper. I made every label by hand, printing my logo—“NeeuQ’s The Experience”—and sticking it on each jar. My sauces were made from the freshest ingredients: tomatoes, basil, and peppers from my garden, supplemented with produce from local urban farms. Everything was farm-to-table, full of flavor and love.

The first few months were rough. I struggled with finances, constantly worried about running out of money before I could get my business off the ground. I worked odd jobs and catered small events to keep myself afloat. Sometimes I’d feel like I was in over my head.

But every challenge taught me something. I learned how to stretch a dollar, how to market myself on social media, and how to negotiate with local vendors. I experimented with new recipes, creating unique sauces like honey-habanero glaze and bourbon-smoked barbecue. My sauces weren’t just condiments—they were stories of resilience, flavor, and community.

Over time, word started to spread. People at the farmers’ market loved my sauces and my farm-to-table philosophy. “You can taste the difference,” they’d say, “because it’s real.”

It wasn’t long before I expanded into pop-up dinners, where I’d pair my sauces with full meals. Imagine slow-cooked ribs dripping in my signature barbecue sauce, paired with greens straight from my garden.

There were days I wanted to give up—days when bills piled up and sales were slow. But I kept going, because I believed in my vision. I believed in myself. Starting as a Black woman with no degree in a competitive industry wasn’t easy, but it taught me to be resourceful, resilient, and unapologetically bold.

Today, NeeuQ’s The Experience is thriving. My sauces are in locals favorite, my pop-ups sells have increased, and my garden has grown into a small urban farm. Every jar of sauce, every plate of food, is a testament to the power of starting, learning, unlearning, and believing.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned? You don’t have to have it all figured out to begin. You just have to start. And sometimes, the boldest ingredient in any recipe is faith.

Queenie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Meet Queenie Marie Vesey, Owner of Neeuqs: The Experience

Hi, I’m Queenie Marie Vesey, the proud owner and creative force behind Neeuqs: The Experience, based in the heart of St. Louis, MO. My journey into this industry is rooted in a deep love for food, community, and storytelling. As a chef, entrepreneur, and educator, my goal is to create more than just meals—I create experiences that nourish the soul and celebrate culture.

How It All Began

I didn’t come into this business with a traditional background. I don’t have a culinary degree or a business diploma, but what I do have is passion, determination, and a rich history of creating meals that bring people together. My journey began in my backyard, where I cultivated a small garden to grow fresh herbs and vegetables. That little garden sparked a bigger dream.

Starting with homemade farm-to-table sauces, I quickly realized that I could bring people closer to their food’s origins while infusing every bite with the unique flavors of my heritage. I taught myself the business side—Google was my classroom, and persistence was my teacher. From getting permits to designing my own labels, I learned to build something meaningful from the ground up.

What We Offer
At Neeuqs, we focus on farm-to-table catering, handcrafted condiments, and curated culinary experiences that connect food with stories. Here’s what sets us apart:

– Farm-to-Table Philosophy: All our dishes and sauces are made with ingredients sourced from local urban farms and my personal garden. We believe in sustainable practices and giving our clients the freshest, most authentic flavors.
– Handcrafted Sauces: My signature condiments, like bourbon-smoked barbecue sauce and honey-habanero glaze, are a reflection of my creativity and the flavors of St. Louis.
– Custom Culinary Experiences: Whether it’s pop-up dinners, intimate catering, or cooking workshops, I create moments where food isn’t just eaten—it’s celebrated.

Problems We Solve

Our mission is to bring people back to the roots of food—literally and metaphorically. We help clients looking for:
– Fresh, high-quality, locally sourced meals.
– Unique, flavorful sauces and seasonings that transform everyday dishes.
– Memorable culinary experiences that tell a story, whether it’s a celebration or a simple gathering.

What Sets Us Apart

As a Black woman entrepreneur, I bring authenticity and heart to everything I do. What makes Neeuqs different isn’t just our food—it’s the way we approach it. Every dish and product reflects my love for creativity, my respect for the earth, and my desire to build community. We’re not just selling food; we’re sharing culture, values, and a sense of belonging.

What I’m Most Proud Of

I’m most proud of how far Neeuqs has come, despite the challenges. From struggling with finances to building a business with no formal training, this journey has been a testament to resilience and faith. Seeing my sauces on shelves, my garden thrive, and my community come together around my table has been more rewarding than I could have imagined.

What I Want You to Know

Neeuqs is about more than just food—it’s about experience. It’s about showing people the beauty of farm-to-table living, the power of sharing meals, and the importance of savoring every moment. I want my clients, followers, and fans to know that every jar of sauce, every catered dish, every workshop is created with love and intention.

Whether you’re looking for bold flavors, unique experiences, or a taste of something real, Neeuqs: The Experience is here to deliver. Together, we’re creating something extraordinary—one dish at a time.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

My journey into the world of homemade condiments started in the most humble of places—my own kitchen in St. Louis, MO. I had always loved cooking, but the idea of making my own sauces and condiments was sparked by a simple problem: the store-bought versions just didn’t cut it. They lacked the depth, freshness, and love that homemade food brings.

The First Batch
It began with a surplus from my backyard garden. That summer, my tomatoes were thriving, and I had more basil, peppers, and cucumbers than I knew what to do with. One evening, I thought, What if I turned this into something that lasts? I started researching how to preserve the flavors of my garden year-round, and that’s when I discovered the art of canning.

Teaching Myself the Craft
I didn’t know a thing about canning, so I did what any determined person does: I Googled. I watched hours of YouTube tutorials, read blogs, and scoured forums about food preservation. I learned about sterilizing jars, proper sealing techniques, and the importance of balancing acidity for safe storage. My kitchen quickly became a testing lab, filled with bubbling pots, jars of every size, and the distinct smell of simmering sauces.

Finding the right bottles and jars was a challenge at first. I wanted containers that were not only functional but also attractive—something that would make my sauces stand out. I scoured local stores and eventually settled on simple glass mason jars for their timeless look and practicality.

Experimenting with Recipes
The next step was perfecting the recipes. I started with a classic roasted tomato sauce, adding my own twist with fresh herbs and spices. It took countless attempts to get the balance just right. Some batches were too acidic, others too sweet. I’d tweak, taste, and tweak again until I found that perfect harmony.

One of my favorite breakthroughs was my honey-habanero glaze. I remember standing over the stove, mixing honey with just the right amount of heat from the peppers, tasting it over and over again until it was perfect. That sauce became a signature of mine—sweet, spicy, and unforgettable.

Challenges Along the Way
There were plenty of missteps. I didn’t seal a few jars properly at first, and they spoiled. Other times, I’d miscalculate the acidity, and the flavor wasn’t quite right. But I learned from every mistake. Slowly, I gained confidence, and my jars of sauces started lining the shelves in my pantry.

From Kitchen to Market
When friends and family started asking for jars of my sauces, I knew I had something special. They loved the freshness, the bold flavors, and the care that went into each recipe. That’s when I decided to take it to the next level. I started small, selling at local farmers’ markets and sharing my story. People connected not just with the product but with the passion behind it.

What It Means Today
Now, my condiments are more than just sauces—they’re an extension of me. Each jar represents the hard work, creativity, and love that started in my little kitchen in St. Louis. From roasted tomato sauces to smoky barbecue glazes, every flavor tells a story.

Teaching myself how to can and experimenting with recipes taught me that it’s never too late to learn something new. The process wasn’t perfect, but it was worth every trial and error. Today, my jars sit not only on my shelves but in homes across the city, bringing a little taste of my garden and my heart to every table

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

When I first started making my sauces and condiments, I was obsessed with perfection. Every recipe had to be flawless, every jar had to look like it belonged on the shelves of a gourmet store, and every flavor had to wow everyone who tasted it. In my mind, if something wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t good enough to share.

The backstory of this lesson takes me back to the early days of my business. I had just started selling my sauces at local farmers’ markets in St. Louis. I remember staying up until 3 a.m. the night before my first market, obsessively re-checking every jar. Were the labels straight? Was the seal tight enough? Were the sauces too thick? Too thin? By the time I showed up at the market, I was exhausted and second-guessing everything.

My first customer of the day—a woman with a warm smile—picked up a jar of my roasted tomato sauce. As she turned it over in her hands, I started rambling, apologizing for the way the label wasn’t perfectly centered. She stopped me mid-sentence, laughed, and said, “Honey, I don’t care about the label—I care about what’s inside.”

That simple comment hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized I had been so focused on making my products look perfect that I forgot why I started in the first place: to share something real and delicious with people.

Unlearning Perfection
From that moment on, I started to unlearn the idea that perfection was the goal. I realized that authenticity mattered more than flawless execution. People weren’t looking for a mass-produced, machine-perfect jar—they were looking for something handmade, personal, and full of heart.

What Changed
This mindset shift gave me permission to take more risks and embrace imperfection as part of the process. When experimenting with recipes, I stopped being afraid of failure and started seeing every “mistake” as a chance to learn. Not every batch was perfect, but every batch taught me something. Some of my best sauces—like my honey-habanero glaze—came from unexpected accidents in the kitchen.

I also let go of the pressure to look like a “big brand.” My labels stayed simple and homemade, and my jars reflected my personality and the farm-to-table story I wanted to tell. People connected with that honesty, and my business started to grow.

The Takeaway
The biggest lesson I had to unlearn is that perfection isn’t what people want—it’s connection, authenticity, and care. My sauces don’t need to be perfect to be meaningful. They need to be real, just like the journey that brought me here.

Now, when I see a label that’s slightly off-center or remember a batch that didn’t turn out quite as expected, I don’t see failure. I see progress. And that’s far more satisfying than perfection ever could be.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefqueenievesey
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089633431785
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/queenie-vesey-47a727208/

Image Credits

Caitlin Ung