We recently connected with Adell Kirkwood III and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Adell thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Kookin’ Cousins started as a “out the trunk” food business.. Our first clients were local barber and beauty shops in the area. Smoother Image was the first Barber/Beauty Shop that opened their doors for us. Then we were accepted by other shops like Sportsmen, Chocolate City and Leenaj Beauty and Barber. This was our first test at not only seeing how people liked our food but it was our first test at running a food business. After our consistency and favored menu options, We received a lot a praise and request to offer our food on more than just Saturdays. Opening up operations to offer weekday menus sent us to the next level, which was full service catering. We were contacted by Heartland Coca Cola to cater their employee appreciation luncheon. The recognition and references we received from this event, led us to more and more catering opportunities. As soon as the momentum was on the rise COVID hit and we had to rethink our available options. Large gatherings were banned so that eliminated the catering part of the business. We found a market and need for Meal Prep options, so we started offering this a service. There had always been a request for our seasonings and salsas, which led us to start bottling them so that our clients were able to purchase at their leisure. As a food business,, we are required to use a commissary kitchen to prepare our meals. We saw this as an expense and also that the current commissary kitchens didn’t offer certain services that culinary entrepreneurs are needing. We decided that we would open our own community commissary kitchen and offer additional options that aren’t currently available elsewhere. After getting blueprints and city approval we started the process of opening the kitchen. the construction process was extremely long and frustrating. We wanted to save some money and chose to go with a contractor who was cheaper than the other recommended contractors. This ended up costing us THOUSANDS of dollars in the long run. They took almost 1 year and a half to complete a 2 month job. This was a huge test to see if this was something we truly wanted to do. Running into issues after issue after issue can break the weak but we refused. We finally were able to open our doors in March of this year! We have been renting kitchen space and opening opportunities for other culinary artist to showcase their skills. We felt a need to offer culinary Kookin’ Classes for youth and adults. I reached out to a homegrown Culinary Chef by the name of Chef Jayaun, I approached him saying Hey Ive been following your art for awhile and I have a kitchen space available to offer Kookin’ Classes, how would you like to be the instructor. He was ready since day one. Now we have held out first couple of successful Kookin Classes. to see all of this come full circle is nothing short of a BLESSING. God can and God did!!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Since I was a child, Ive always had a desire for business. My Aunt Clara Wilson started my brother and I with selling candy and chips a school. She took us to the local Sam’s Club and purchased our first inventory supply. That Monday we went to school and SOLD OUT everything. You can only image what that did for some kids like us. We were beyond excited, so we went out and spent all the money we made. We told our Aunt about our success and she congratulated us then proceeds to say “ok, now let’s use the money you made and resupply your inventory. We looked at her like “what money, we spent it.” zThats when she taught us about not spending the money you made without resupply your inventory.. She purchased the 2nd inventory and said this would be the last time she did. From then on we understand the need to be smart with the money and the importance of making sure we had money to reinvest. I took that information and carried it in every future business venture. One thing I’ve always appreciated was client feedback. It’s easy to hear what we are doing well but the negative feedback is what makes or breaks the business. We constantly want to make necessary changes that will bring in new clients and keep the clients we already have. Fast Forward to today and our Community Commercial Kitchen allows for ghost kitchen services, Kookin Classes, Culinary Podcast, conferencing and a space for culinary artist to collaborate. This sets us apart from our competitors.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I can vividly recall the moment that made me say “I’m taken this leap of faith, and quitting my 9-5!” Ive been in Managerial positions most of my corporate America career. Ive enjoyed flourishing in leadership roles, as I feel I was born to lead. It wasn’t until my last employer Kelloggs, that truly sent me to take that leap. This job paid very well but at the same time it gave me the worst anxiety I’ve ever experienced in my life. It was so bad that when certain phone notification sounds would bring on my anxiety. the last straw was when my children had ‘Donuts with Dad” day at their school. I informed the necessary people that I would be at work that day but I would run a little late so that I may attend with me kids. Kelloggs attempted pushing back on allowing me to attend. That day I placed my 2 weeks notice in with the company and refused to allow anyone or any company keep me from being a PARENT. I left and never looked back to another corporate job.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Once I started my entrepreneurial dreams, I always felt friends and family would be my biggest supporters. That turned out to be the furthest thing from the truth. don’t get me wrong I have family and friends that support in big ways, like my Aunt Audrey and my in-laws Greg and Theresa. The majority of the additional support has come from complete strangers. That is not a slight to anyone, it’s just an observation from my personal experiences. I’ve learned that people with watch what you do and maybe even admire it behind the scenes but they will refuse to support it in a public manor.

Lastly, the behind the scenes support from my wife Jessica Kirkwood is what allows this dream to continue! My immediate family Debra Wright, Cameron, Caleigh, Chace and Calece Kirkwood have helped make Kookin Cousins what it is today!

I’d like to thank a family friend and business mentor Mark Walsh. He has made me understand how to run and execute my brand! There’s a lot I’m still learning and his direction has been a true lifeline!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kookincousinskitchens.com
• Instagram: Kookin Cousins Kitchens
• Facebook: Kookin Cousins Kitchens
• Twitter: @cousinskookin