We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful D’Andra Odom. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with D’Andra below.
Hi D’Andra, thanks for joining us today. Talk to us about building your team? What was it like? What were some of the key challenges and what was your process like?
No… from day one, it was really just my husband and me.
At the time, I was working full time as the Minority Outreach Director for the Louisiana Department of Health, and my husband was also working full time as a chef and kitchen manager for another company. So in the beginning, Odom’s Kitchen was being built in the margins of our lives… after work, late nights, weekends, and in every spare moment we could find.
Before we ever had employees, we were the employees. We were doing everything ourselves… cooking, prepping, planning, cleaning, delivering, marketing, customer service, admin, and whatever else needed to be done to keep the dream moving. So no, we did not have employees from day one… and honestly, I think that season taught us a lot about sacrifice, grit, and what it truly takes to build something from the ground up.
Bringing on our first employees was humbling, exciting, and exhilarating all at once. It felt huge for us because it was a sign that the business was growing… but it also came with a different kind of responsibility. And it felt even bigger because this was also our first brick-and-mortar location. At that point, we were no longer just building a business… we were building a team, a culture, and an operation.
One of the hardest parts of recruiting those first few team members was learning how to tell the difference between people who were truly aligned with our vision and people who were simply telling us what they thought we wanted to hear. That part was tough. In the beginning, you want to believe people… especially when you need help and you are trying to keep everything afloat. But we quickly learned that a good interview does not always equal a good fit.
I was also honestly shocked by some of the wage expectations we encountered early on. We had people applying for prep cook and dishwasher positions requesting $25 to $30 an hour, and as new business owners trying to build responsibly, that was definitely eye-opening.
We found our first team members through a mix of word of mouth, community connections, social media, and referrals. The interview process in the beginning was fairly straightforward, but if I am being honest, if I were starting over today, I would probably do it very differently. I would likely hire an outside company or third party to help with interviewing and screening because sometimes, as an owner, you can be too close to the dream. You can hear passion, enthusiasm, or confidence and want to believe that means they are ready… when in reality, consistency, character, and work ethic matter just as much, if not more.
Our training process early on was very hands-on. There was nothing overly polished about it. It was a lot of side-by-side learning, live training, and building systems in real time while still trying to run the business. It was unconventional in the sense that we were still creating structure while actively growing. We were learning what we needed as we went, and that experience really shaped how we lead today.
If I were starting today, I would absolutely do some things differently. I would put stronger systems in place earlier… clearer job descriptions, more structured interviews, trial shifts, more intentional onboarding, and firmer standards from the very beginning. I also would have trusted actions over words a lot sooner.
But overall, that season taught us so much. Recruiting those first few employees was not just about finding help… it was about learning how to lead, how to protect the vision, and how to build something sustainable without losing the heart of why we started in the first place.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is D’Andra Bradford Odom, and I am the CEO and Co-Owner of Odom’s Kitchen, alongside my husband, Chef Brandon Odom, who is the culinary force behind our brand. Together, we built Odom’s Kitchen from the ground up as a family-owned business rooted in great food, genuine hospitality, excellence, and community.
At its core, Odom’s Kitchen is more than just a food business… it is an experience, a labor of love, and in many ways, a reflection of who we are, where we come from, and what we believe hospitality should feel like.
Our story did not begin with a fully staffed kitchen or a storefront. It began with vision, sacrifice, faith, and a deep belief that food has the power to bring people together, create joy, and make people feel cared for. Long before we had a brick-and-mortar, we were building this business while both working full time. I was serving in leadership roles in public health and community outreach, and my husband was working full time as a chef and kitchen manager while still pouring into this dream. Odom’s Kitchen was built in the in-between hours… after work, on weekends, in late nights, and through a lot of prayer, grit, and determination.
How I got into this work
For me, this work is not just professional… it is deeply personal.
This business is tied to something much bigger than food. Growing up, I heard my parents and grandparents tell stories about what it meant to live through Jim Crow… stories about not being allowed in certain places, not being welcomed in certain establishments, and being denied something as basic as dignity in public spaces, including places where people gathered to eat.
That history never left me.
So to now co-own a food service establishment where our parents, grandparents, elders, family, and community can walk through the front door… not through a side entrance, not as an afterthought, not on someone else’s terms… but openly, proudly, and with joy… that means everything to me.
There is something deeply powerful about being able to serve the very generation that once had to navigate spaces that told them they did not belong.
To now create a place where they are not just allowed, but welcomed, celebrated, and served with excellence… that is personal. That is purpose. That is part of the heartbeat of Odom’s Kitchen.
In many ways, this business is about more than meals. It is about reclamation, dignity, belonging, representation, and love.
My background is not just in business… it is also in leadership, operations, public service, and community-centered work. A lot of what I bring to Odom’s Kitchen comes from years of working in spaces where relationship-building, service, trust, and strategy matter. I have always been passionate about people, access, experience, and creating spaces where people feel seen and valued.
That naturally translated into this business.
What started as supporting my husband’s culinary gift and helping build the business behind the scenes eventually evolved into me stepping fully into the role of helping shape not just the operations, but the vision, voice, growth, and culture of Odom’s Kitchen.
Chef Brandon brings the culinary artistry, creativity, and flavor. I bring the strategy, systems, client experience, branding, and business development. Together, we have created something that blends heart and hospitality with professionalism and execution.
What we provide
Odom’s Kitchen provides a range of food and hospitality services, including:
Full-service catering
Corporate and community event catering
Private chef-style experiences
Wedding and special event catering
Family meal and specialty menu offerings
Restaurant dining and takeout
Curated food experiences that feel elevated but still deeply rooted in comfort and culture
We are known for delivering food that feels both intentional and unforgettable. Our menus are inspired by Southern, Louisiana, Creole, and comfort-driven flavors, but what people remember most is not just the taste… it is the feeling.
We want our clients and guests to feel like they were cared for, not just served.
What problems we solve for clients
A lot of people think catering is just about feeding people… but in reality, what we often solve is stress, uncertainty, and the fear of things falling apart.
People come to us because they need more than food. They need:
someone they can trust,
a team that will show up and execute,
a business that understands timing, flow, service, presentation, and professionalism,
and food that people will actually remember for the right reasons.
We help clients take the pressure off. Whether it is a wedding, corporate luncheon, repast, graduation, private dinner, or community event, we aim to make sure the food and service are one less thing they have to worry about.
We also solve a different kind of problem in our community and industry… we provide a business that is rooted in excellence without losing authenticity. We are intentional about offering high-quality service while still feeling warm, familiar, and culturally grounded.
What sets us apart
What sets Odom’s Kitchen apart is that we are not just selling meals… we are building moments, memories, and trust.
There are a few things I believe truly differentiate us:
1. We are deeply personal and deeply professional
We are a family-owned brand, and people feel that when they work with us. There is heart in what we do. But at the same time, we also take our work seriously. We understand operations, logistics, customer experience, timing, presentation, and what it takes to deliver consistently.
2. Our food is rooted in flavor, comfort, and intention
Chef Brandon is incredibly gifted, and one thing our clients often say is that our food does not just taste good… it feels like it was made with care. That matters to us.
3. We know how to serve both community and excellence
We can serve an intimate dinner, a milestone celebration, a corporate function, or a large-scale community event… and we bring the same care to all of it. We are proud to be a business that can move in different spaces without losing who we are.
4. Our brand is built on resilience and purpose
This business was not handed to us. It was built through sacrifice, faith, hard lessons, long nights, and the willingness to keep going even when things were hard. But beyond that, it was built with purpose. It was built with the belief that hospitality should feel welcoming, affirming, and dignified for the people we serve.
What I am most proud of
What I am most proud of is that we built something real… and something meaningful.
I am proud that what started as a dream and a leap of faith has grown into a brand that people trust, support, and celebrate. I am proud that we have been able to create opportunities, serve our community, and build something our family can be proud of.
But beyond the business itself, I am proud of what it represents.
To be able to serve people from a place of love, to create a space where our elders can feel welcome and celebrated, and to know that we are building something our children can see, touch, and carry forward… that means everything to me.
I am also proud that we have done it in a way that feels aligned with who we are. We have grown, evolved, learned, and stretched… but we have never wanted to lose the heart behind what we do.
What I want people to know about us
The main thing I want people to know is this:
Odom’s Kitchen is built with intention.
We care deeply about the quality of what we put out, the experience people have with us, and the impact we leave behind. We are not interested in being just another option. We want to be the brand people remember because they felt something when they encountered us… whether that was through our food, our service, our hospitality, or our story.
I also want people to know that we are still growing, still dreaming, and still building. Everything you see today was created through consistency, sacrifice, and faith… and we believe this is only the beginning.
At the end of the day, Odom’s Kitchen is about more than feeding people.
It is about creating edible experiences, meaningful moments, cultural pride, and a brand that leaves people full in more ways than one.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Absolutely… my business partner is actually my husband, which makes our story even more special.
I was already a regular at a local restaurant, and one day I came in and noticed there was a new chef. I happened to meet him during their very first brunch service, and the very first thing he ever made for me was French toast.
That was my introduction to him… through food.
Not long after that, I stopped by one day after work because I was not feeling well and was looking for something comforting… specifically soup. Instead, he made me alligator sauce piquant, and let’s just say… that definitely made an impression.
After that, I found myself stopping by more and more often because I genuinely loved the food. But somehow, almost every single day, he would also just so happen to be on his “lunch break.” Very convenient… very intentional… and clearly not a coincidence. Laughs.
What started with food and casual conversation slowly turned into something much deeper. Looking back now, I can say I thought I was just stopping by for food… but I did not realize I was meeting my future husband and business partner.
In hindsight, loving him felt like a slipper fitting so perfectly, I did not even realize it had been missing. He became the missing piece my soul did not know it was searching for… and together, we have been building dreams ever since.
What I love most about our story is that food was at the center of it from the very beginning. It was not just what introduced us… it was part of how we connected. There was already this sense of care, comfort, and creativity in what he did, and that has never changed.
Now, years later, we have built a business together that is rooted in many of those same things… love, flavor, hospitality, connection, and shared vision.
So in many ways, Odom’s Kitchen did not just grow out of a business idea… it grew out of a love story too.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Word of Mouth. . .
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eatwithodoms.com
- Instagram: odomskitchen
- Facebook: Odom’s Kitchen
