Conversations with Noymenia Lewis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Noymenia Lewis.

Hi Noymenia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I have always been a Florida girl with a love for good food and the mix of seafood and soul food. That’s what made me get into catering. I worked in the food industry until I became a mother and made the move into Corporate America. During this time, is when I experienced potlucks and what hassle they could be. People only wanted to bring plates, cups, and utensils and not any food.

To ease this process, I would collect everyone’s money and cook for my co-workers. From there, I started hosting house parties and realized people really enjoyed my food and I even told my boss I wanted to make a business out of cooking. Even with the great feedback from my parties and potlucks, I couldn’t get hired. Yes, the same people who loved my food so much would not hire me. I offered to work for free and still nothing. In 2018, I went through a breakup, and in talking to a friend she decided to support me and purchased my first set of business cards.

While networking I met a lady that needed a caterer for an awards ceremony. I brought 50 plates and completely sold out. We partnered again for a brunch and I later became a vendor selling my delicious food downtown. During this time I made more connections including a Spa Owner and partnered with her. My business picked up and those business cards came in handy. The pandemic caused a shift in my business and I had to transition from catering events to making family packs for people who wanted to eat out without going out to eat.

This was a good transition but I wanted to offer something different. I started offering crab leg trays and other seafood dishes until others started doing the same. I parted ways with the spa but my business was still growing as the world began opening up again. Then I met my new mentor Tracie Shelton of the Alamo Kitchen. I had met her years ago before I could afford to use a shared kitchen space but now I finally could. A few other chefs and I partnered on a project that ultimately failed but we found that we shared great ideas and played off of each other’s strengths. This partnership took my business to a higher level and the Chefs Colab was born.

All these events and connections have strengthed my skillset and business knowledge. It has been a nonstop rollercoaster but the potlucks have turned into a thriving business with five employees and much more to come.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I am not from San Antonio and I didn’t initially have the connections to promote my business. I had to meet people and network my way into the San Antonio food scene. This was definitely a learning curve as I was just learning how to run my own business and manage the finances.

Its been a constant journey of learning new things and leveraging my mistakes. I learned that everything with my business depends on me and I had to be fearless in order to grow. Only the strong survive in this industry.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I noticed the need for more variety for food here in San Antonio. I really wanted to bring my Duval County Florida flare to the city and share some of the flavors I have experienced while living around the world. Sharing food from the Soul comes from my culture and history that is embedded in me. My family recipes were passed down to me and I am proud to them continue on. My favorite is a highly seasoned brunch with a soulful flare. I really like to think I make great food!

I am really proud of the brand I have built. At every event, I get at least one new customer that wants me to cook for them. Being able to make someone else happy with a creation of my own are some of my most proud moments.

My Motto: I am a Southern Millennial that cooks everyone’s favorite dishes from scratch.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Trial and error. Finding someone that cares about your business and wants to see you thrive is hard. My first mentor was Pat Moore a Fashion Industry Stylist. She was one of my biggest cheerleaders and helped out as best as she could as someone who did fashion and not food.

Pat even tried to help me build my website but at the time I just wasn’t ready. Tracy Shelton of the Alamo Kitchen helps out me a lot and has great advice. My peers in the Chefs Colab Kaius, Robin, and Tj are my big inspiration.

Contact Info:

• Email: Nomecateringsa@yahoo.com
• Website: Nomecateringsa.com
• Instagram: Nomescatering
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nomeliketocater/

Image Credits
Cassi De Los Santos and Nicholas Balanciere