From the Kitchen Table

Dear Friends,

Trust.

Apparently, that is the lesson I am supposed to be learning right now. And if you know me well, you probably also know that this particular lesson may take a minute.

The last several months have stretched me in ways I wasn’t completely prepared for. I’ve moved into my forever home, and inventoried a house we called home for 7 years. We’ve opened an entirely new operation at Fuqua. We’re figuring out how Third Street functions while so much of our attention is somewhere else. We’re managing school lunches, catering, weddings, take-home dinners, employees, systems — and all the other normal things that don’t stop happening just because you’ve decided to grow a business.

And somewhere in the middle of all of it, I went into overdrive.

Planning. Checking. Double-checking. Trying to anticipate the next problem before it happened. Trying to keep my hands on every moving piece because somehow that made me feel like I could make sure everything would be okay.

Except that’s not really trust.

And lately, I’ve had to remember something I’ve said many times: Faith and fear cannot occupy the same space.

That doesn’t mean I don’t feel fear. I absolutely do. There are moments when I wonder whether we’ve taken on too much. Moments when I question a decision. Moments when I look at everything happening around me and think, How in the world are we going to do all of this?

Faith doesn’t magically make those thoughts disappear. For me, faith is remembering what I believe while those thoughts are still there.

It’s choosing which voice gets to lead. And right now, I’m choosing faith. I’m choosing to trust the team we have built.

I’ve watched people step up over these last few weeks in ways that have humbled me. I’ve watched Pete take years of knowledge, expectations and lessons and pour them into other people — and then I’ve watched those people take what he taught them and run with it.

I’ve watched our Fuqua team walk into something completely new and figure it out one lunch period at a time.

And I’ve watched Third Street keep moving — and honestly, thrive — without us standing there controlling every detail.

I’ve watched people step up. I’ve watched people take ownership. And I’ve watched people remind me why they are part of this team in the first place.

Sometimes trusting your people means actually getting out of their way long enough for them to show you what they’re capable of. That one has been a little harder for this control freak to accept.

Are we going to make mistakes? Absolutely.

We’re going to try things that don’t work. We’re going to change systems. We’re going to have days when something gets missed and somebody has to scramble.

We’re going to fail forward.

But we’re also going to learn.

And I think we’re going to come out of this season stronger because of it.

I’m trying to remember that I don’t need to know exactly what Grateful Fed looks like six months from now. I don’t even need to know exactly what it looks like six weeks from now.

I need to do today’s work. I need to listen. I need to lead. I need to trust the people beside me. And then I need to have enough faith to let tomorrow reveal itself when it gets here.

There is another kind of trust that I don’t ever want to overlook, either.

Yours.

Every time you ask us to cater your wedding, feed your employees, provide lunch for your organization, cook dinner for your family or be part of one of life’s important moments, you are trusting us.

Sometimes you’re trusting us with a Wednesday night when you’re simply too tired to cook. And sometimes you’re trusting us with a day you’ve been planning for a year. Neither is something I take lightly.

The fact that you continue to invite Grateful Fed to your tables, your celebrations, your schools, your businesses and your community means more to me than I probably say often enough.

Your faith in us has allowed this little company to keep becoming something bigger than I ever imagined.

So while I’m learning to loosen my grip and trust this next chapter, I want you to know how grateful I am that you’ve trusted me — and all of us — enough to come along for the ride.

I still don’t know exactly where all of this is going.

For once, I’m trying to be okay with that.

I’ve read the recipe.

I’ve gathered the ingredients.

I’ve done the prep.

Now maybe I just need to keep whipping.

With a grateful heart,

Tammy

Dear Friends,

It’s Sunday night, and once again I’m writing this letter much later than I intended to.

I’m tired. Like, really tired. But before I started writing tonight, I looked back over our calendar for this coming week, and something hit me.

There are a whole lot of names on that calendar. Longwood. Hampden-Sydney. Fuqua. Rotary. Lions Club. Families. Churches. Funerals. Meetings. Lunches. Dinners. Desserts. Students.

On paper, it looks like a very busy catering week. But when I really look at it, I see something completely different.

I see relationships.

I see people who have called us before and called us again. I see organizations that trust us to walk into their spaces and take care of their people. I see parents trusting us to feed their children every day. I see someone planning a meeting who doesn't have to worry about lunch because they know we're handling it.

I see a family walking through one of the hardest days of their lives and allowing us to take one small thing off their plate. I see a community organization gathering people around a table for something that matters.

And somewhere along the way, this little catering company became woven into a whole lot of people's lives. That part gets me.

Because Grateful Fed didn't start with some giant business plan to become all of these things. We just kept saying yes.

Yes, we can feed you.

Yes, we'll figure it out.

Yes, we'll bring dinner.

Yes, we'll help with your wedding.

Yes, we'll feed your team.

Yes, we'll make something special for the person with an allergy.

Yes, we'll stay a little later.

Yes, we'll come a little earlier.

Yes, we'll take care of it.

And one yes at a time, people started coming back. Then they told somebody else. And they came back too.

Now I look at a week like this one and realize that what we have built isn't really a catering calendar at all. It's a collection of people who have trusted us. And I don't ever want to get so busy that I stop recognizing the difference.

There are certainly easier ways to make a living than feeding hundreds of people in a week. There are days when the kitchen is hot, somebody needs something yesterday, the phone won't stop ringing, a delivery changes at the last minute, and every flat surface somehow has a sheet pan sitting on it.

And right now, with my knee still forcing me to do more directing than doing, I see even more clearly how many hands it takes to make all of this happen.

There is a whole team behind every box that leaves our kitchen.

Someone shopped for it.

Someone prepped it.

Someone cooked it.

Someone portioned it.

Someone labeled it.

Someone packed it.

Someone loaded it.

Someone delivered it.

Someone answered the email, sent the invoice, changed the head count, remembered the allergy, found the missing serving spoon, and probably washed a mountain of dishes when everyone else went home. And I am incredibly proud of them.

This week is going to be busy. Very busy.

And sometime around Friday afternoon I may question every decision I've ever made. But tonight, looking at that calendar, I don't just see how much work we have to do. I see how fortunate we are to have the work. I see a community that has continued to show up for us because we have continued to show up for them.

And I see something that started with food but became so much more than food a long time ago. That's worth a late Sunday night. That's worth being tired. And that is something I will never stop being grateful for.

Thank you for continuing to give us a seat at your table. We don't take it for granted.

With a grateful heart,

Tammy

Dear Friends,

As I sat down to write this weeks letter, I realized there seems to be a common thread running through this season.

It's the reminder that none of us were ever meant to carry everything alone.

If you've followed along on social media, you know I've been sidelined a due to a knee injury that decided to remind me I'm not quite as indestructible as I sometimes think I am. While it's not exactly how I envisioned kicking off one of the biggest chapters in Grateful Fed's history, maybe it's exactly the lesson I needed.

When Grateful Fed started I was the one who had to carry the heavy things. If there was a box to move, a truck to unload, a buffet to set up, or a problem to solve, I was usually the first one to jump in. Slowing down has never come naturally to me.

But these past couple of years have reminded me that leadership isn't about doing the lifting. Sometimes it's about trusting the people beside you to help carry it.

And let me tell you...our Grateful Fed family has carried a lot lately.

Over the past several months, members of our team have walked through the loss of grandparents, a sister, a father-in-law, illnesses, injuries, and seasons that have tested every ounce of their strength. When one member of our team hurts, we all hurt. That's just who we are. Yet somehow, every single day, they have continued to show up.

They've cooked your meals with love. They've smiled through catering events. They've packed lunches before sunrise, served weddings with joyful hearts, and made sure every customer who walked through our doors felt cared for.

I'm incredibly proud of them.

As we begin this exciting new chapter with our expansion into Fuqua, my role may look a little different for a while. You'll probably find me behind a computer instead of behind a buffet line, working on menus, planning events, answering emails, building new ideas, and cheering on the incredible team that's handling more of the physical work while my knee heals.

If I'm honest, that's been harder for me than the injury itself. But maybe that's part of this new chapter, too. Growth often asks us to let go of the way we've always done things so we can become what we're meant to be next. I truly believe that's where Grateful Fed is right now.

We're growing—not just in locations or services, but as a team. Watching everyone step into new responsibilities, support one another, and continue serving this community with excellence has filled my heart in ways I can't fully put into words.

So today, I simply want to say thank you. Thank you for your prayers, your messages, your patience, and your kindness. Thank you for loving our team through their hard days and celebrating the exciting ones with us. Thank you for believing in this little dream that has grown into something so much bigger than I ever imagined.

As August begins, I'm choosing to believe this is the start of something beautiful. Not because everything is easy, but because we've learned we don't have to walk through the hard seasons alone. From the bottom of my heart... Thank you for being part of the Grateful Fed family.

Gratefully Yours,

Tammy

Have you ever had one of those seasons where everything feels...heavy?

Not bad. Not hopeless. Just thick. Like you're walking through mud, knowing you're making progress, but every step takes a little more effort than the last.

That's where I've been lately.

Red and I are so incredibly close to moving into what we hope will be our forever home. We've been living between boxes, furniture in warehouses, construction schedules, and "almost finished" for what feels like forever. He's worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality, and I couldn't be prouder of him.

This week is a big one for us. We have our final walkthrough on Wednesday, and if everything goes according to plan, we're hoping to receive at least a temporary Certificate of Occupancy. After months of waiting, planning, and believing, we can finally see the finish line.

At the same time, Grateful Fed is standing at the edge of something exciting, too.

This week we're putting the finishing touches on plans for our next chapter as a business. I'm not quite ready to share all the details just yet, but I promise they're coming soon. It's another reminder that sometimes the longest seasons are simply preparing us for what's next.

I've realized something over the last few weeks.

Growth rarely feels glamorous while you're living through it.

Most of the time it looks like long days, difficult decisions, uncertainty, and trusting the process even when you can't yet see the outcome. Then one day, almost without realizing it, you look up and notice there's light ahead.

I think that's where we are.

Not at the finish line quite yet...but close enough to finally feel the warmth of the sun again.

If you're in a season that feels heavy, keep going. Don't mistake slow progress for no progress. Some of the best chapters of our lives are written during the parts that don't feel very exciting at the time.

As always, thank you for believing in this little company, for believing in each other, and for believing in me. I know I say it often, but Grateful Fed has never been about one person—it has always been about all of us building something bigger than ourselves.

Here's to fresh starts, new doors opening, and finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Gratefully Yours,
Tammy

This week, I've found myself reflecting on two things: trust and perspective.

A few months ago, I was absolutely certain I knew what the next chapter of Grateful Fed was supposed to look like. We explored new spaces, considered new opportunities, chased a few ideas, and spent countless hours asking ourselves, "What's next?"

And if there's one thing life continues to teach me, it's that my plans and God's plans are rarely identical.

I've always laughed and said, "Tammy plans and God laughs," but lately that phrase has felt less like a joke and more like a life lesson.

The truth is, some of the biggest opportunities in my life have shown up after I stopped trying to force doors open and started trusting the ones that opened naturally.

As many of you know, there have been some exciting things happening behind the scenes at Grateful Fed. While we're still putting the final pieces into place and aren't quite ready for the official announcement, I can tell you that August 1 marks the beginning of a new chapter for our company—one that feels more aligned with who we are than anything we've explored before.

And maybe that's what this season has really been teaching me. Not every opportunity is the right opportunity. Not every dream is meant to happen exactly the way we imagined it.

Sometimes growth isn't about becoming something different. Sometimes it's about becoming more fully yourself.

That realization showed up in an unexpected place this week.

I was on WFLO talking about our Christmas in July campaign for Prince Edward County Christmas Mother, sharing ideas, talking about community impact, and explaining why these projects matter so much to me. At one point, the host stopped me and said, "You can see and hear the passion when you talk about this."

It wasn't said as a criticism. It wasn't said as "there she goes again." It was said as a compliment.

And something shifted inside me.

For years, I've joked that I'm "a lot." Too excited. Too invested. Too passionate. Too many ideas. Too much energy. I've spent more time than I care to admit trying to tone myself down, make myself smaller, or worry about whether I was taking up too much space.

But what if the very thing I've spent years trying to manage is actually the thing that created this life?

What if the passion isn't the problem?

What if it's the purpose?

Because when I look around at Grateful Fed, at Christmas Mother, at Rotary, at the relationships we've built, at the opportunities unfolding in front of us, I can see that none of it was created by playing small.

It was created by caring deeply.

It was built by believing that food can bring people together.

By believing communities are stronger when we show up for one another.

By believing that hospitality matters.

By believing that one person really can make a difference.

Perspective changes everything.

The same fire that one person calls "too much" is the same fire another person recognizes as purpose.

So this week, I'm choosing gratitude.

Gratitude for the opportunities we can finally begin to see coming into focus.

Gratitude for the lessons that come from surrendering control.

Gratitude for the people who continue to support our crazy ideas and trust us with life's biggest celebrations.

And gratitude for the reminder that faith and fear cannot occupy the same space.

As we move into this next season, I'm choosing faith.

Faith that the right doors are opening.

Faith that we're exactly where we're supposed to be.

Faith that the next chapter will be even better than the one I originally planned.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

The best is yet to come. I can’t wait to share it with you ALL…

Gratefully Yours,
Tammy

This has been one of those weeks that has a way of getting your attention.

I've spent years telling people that self-care isn't selfish. I've told friends to go to the doctor. I've told employees to take a day off. I've told family members to listen to their bodies.

Apparently, I needed to hear my own advice.

What started last Tuesday as "I'm sure it's nothing" turned into a diagnosis of diverticulitis, a couple of antibiotics, and some very direct instructions from my doctor to slow down. Then this coming Friday, I'll have a thyroid biopsy. I don't think it's anything serious, but it's the next step, and like most people, I don't particularly enjoy being the patient.

The reality is that I've ignored a few things. Not because I wanted to, but because life has been busy. And life is busy right now.

We're getting close to moving into our new house. The shed was delivered this weekend. There are still pieces of furniture to pick up, appliances to buy, and a hundred little decisions to make. It's all exciting, but it's also one more reminder that sometimes even good things take energy.

What I've been thinking about a lot this week is how grateful I am for the people around me.

One of the greatest gifts Grateful Fed has given me over the years is the team we've built. While I've been trying to rest, the business hasn't missed a beat. Pete is manning the ship. The kitchen is cooking. Events are happening. The team is doing exactly what they're supposed to be doing.

That's not something I take for granted.

As business owners, we often convince ourselves that everything depends on us. Then life has a funny way of reminding us that it doesn't.

Sometimes the lesson isn't learning how to do more. Sometimes the lesson is learning how to trust. And trust has been a theme for me lately.

If you've been around me for any length of time, you've probably heard me say, "Tammy plans and God laughs." I still believe that.

If you had asked me a month ago what the next six months looked like, I would have painted a very different picture than the one I'm looking at today. There are some opportunities and conversations happening that I'm not quite ready to talk about yet, but they have reminded me of something important: not every door has to be kicked open. Some doors open when they're supposed to.

For the first time in a long time, I'm trying not to force anything. I'm trying to listen. I'm trying to pay attention. I'm trying to trust my intuition and trust the timing.

What I do know is that the mission remains the same. Grateful Fed has always been about more than food. Food is simply how we show up for people. Whether we're feeding a family, catering a wedding, supporting a nonprofit, teaching someone a skill, or helping bring a community together, the goal has always been to make people's lives a little better.

That's not changing. If anything, it's becoming clearer.

So for now, I'm taking my medicine, drinking my broth, keeping my appointments, and letting my team do what they do best.

And if you're the praying type, the good-vibes type, the positive-energy type, or the "light a candle and send it out into the universe" type, I'll happily accept all of the above this week.

Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for trusting us. And thank you for allowing Grateful Fed to be part of so many of life's moments.

I'll keep you posted on the rest when the time is right.

Gratefully Yours,
Tammy

There has been a lot going on lately.

Some of it I can tell you about. Some of it I can't quite share yet. And some of it is still unfolding in ways I never could have planned.

If you've been around me for any length of time, you've probably heard me say, "Tammy plans and God laughs." I've said it jokingly for years, but lately I've been living it.

This season has required a level of surrender that I wasn't entirely prepared for. Not because I didn't have faith, but because faith sounds a whole lot easier when you're talking about it than when you're actually being asked to practice it.

The truth is, faith and fear cannot occupy the same space. One of them will always win.

And if I'm being completely honest, there have been days when fear has tried really hard to get my attention. Fear of change. Fear of the unknown. Fear of whether all the pieces will come together the way they're supposed to.

But every time I've tried to force an answer, force a timeline, or force an outcome, life has gently reminded me that my job isn't to control the path. My job is simply to take the next step.

The direction things have begun moving recently is a true testament to that.

Doors I didn't even know existed have started opening. Conversations have happened that I never could have orchestrated on my own. Opportunities have appeared from places I wasn't looking.

When everything is finalized and all the details are worked out, I'll share the whole story with you. For now, I'm simply trusting the process and trying not to get ahead of the unfolding.

And honestly, that lesson isn't just showing up in business.

It's showing up at home, too.

As we get closer to finishing our new house, I'm surrounded by boxes, decisions, packing, sorting, and the realization that we've accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. Some of it is useful. Some of it is sentimental. Some of it is simply old energy that no longer belongs in the next chapter.

There is something powerful about deciding what gets to come with you and what needs to be left behind.

Whether it's a closet, a business plan, a relationship, a belief, or a dream, every new beginning asks us to make room for it.

Maybe that's why this season feels so meaningful.

I'm not just moving into a new house.

I'm moving into a new version of myself.

And while I don't have all the answers yet, I have learned this: every time I loosen my grip and trust a little more, life has a way of delivering something better than what I was trying so hard to control.

So if you're standing in a season of uncertainty right now, maybe this is your reminder too.

You don't have to see the entire path.

You only have to trust the next step.

Gratefully Yours,
Tammy

This week has me feeling reflective.

Maybe it's because both my mama and my Nanny Deskins birthday fall this week. Maybe it's because we've been moving at a hundred miles an hour lately. Or maybe it's because when you're building something, every now and then you have to stop long enough to look around and appreciate how far you've come.

Over the past few weeks, we've welcomed six new people to the Grateful Fed team. Some of them are working their very first job. Some are stepping into hospitality for the first time. Some are bringing years of experience and looking for a new chapter.

Every one of them has reminded me of something important: none of us starts out knowing everything.

Every person who works at Grateful Fed starts the same way. We teach. We coach. We answer questions. We work alongside them. We help them grow.

And honestly, that's one of my favorite parts of what we do. People often think we're in the food business.

We are. But we're also in the people business. Food just happens to be the vehicle.

Over the years, I've watched shy teenagers become confident adults. I've watched team members discover talents they didn't know they had. I've watched people learn leadership, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and how to care for others through hospitality.

Those things matter.

The food matters, too, of course. We spend countless hours planning menus, refining recipes, sourcing ingredients, and making sure every event feels special.

But when people ask me what makes Grateful Fed different, my answer is always the same:

We care. Not because it's part of a mission statement. Not because it's good marketing. Because we genuinely do.

We care about the bride who's stressed.

The family planning a memorial service.

The nonprofit trying to stretch a budget.

The business hosting a luncheon.

The customer picking up Wednesday night dinner after a long day at work.

People can feel the difference when they're being served by people who care.

As we continue to grow, launch new programs, welcome new team members, and dream about what's next, that's the one thing I never want us to lose.

The recipes may change. The menus may evolve. The business may grow. But the heart behind it has to stay the same. At the end of the day, Grateful Fed has never been about food alone. It's about making people feel seen, welcomed, cared for, and fed in every sense of the word.

And if years from now someone remembers a meal we served, a lesson they learned while working here, or simply how we made them feel, then I'd say we've done our job.

Thank you for allowing us to keep doing what we love. We're grateful for every one of you.

Gratefully Yours,
Tammy

Memorial Day has always felt a little deeper to me than just the unofficial start of summer.

Yes, there are cookouts and gatherings and sunshine and family traditions, and I love all of those things. But underneath all of that, there’s also remembrance. Reflection. Gratitude.

A reminder that so much of life is built on the sacrifices, stories, and memories of the people who came before us.

And maybe that’s part of why food matters so much to me too. Because food has this beautiful way of holding memories.

A recipe passed down.
A favorite side dish at the cookout.
A pie somebody always made.
The smell of dinner in the kitchen.
The people gathered around the table. Long after the meal is over, somehow those moments stay with us.

So this Memorial Day weekend, I hope you slow down long enough to really enjoy your people. I hope you laugh loudly, eat something homemade, hug somebody you love, and take a moment to honor the memories that helped shape who you are.

And from our Grateful Fed family to yours… thank you for allowing us to be part of your tables, your celebrations, your milestones, and your memories too.

That’s something we never take for granted.

Gratefully Yours,
Tammy

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve taken a step back. Not because things weren’t moving… but because I needed to be more intentional about how they’re moving.

For a long time, I’ve led from instinct. I feel something, I go, and that energy has built so much of what Grateful Fed is today. But this next season is asking something different of me.

It’s asking for clarity.
For patience.
For alignment.

I’m stepping into this phase with a deeper understanding of what matters most… building something sustainable, moving into our forever home and making sure that every “yes” is truly aligned with where we’re going.

And at the center of that… is purpose.

I’ve realized that what we’ve created here goes beyond food. It’s about connection. It’s about care. It’s about feeding people in a way that touches more than just the plate.

That’s where the NEW Gratefully Fed YouTube channel comes in.

This summer, we’ll begin building that out intentionally… a space where I can share more of what’s behind this work. Catering tips and tricks, behind-the-scenes moments, and the real-life lessons that come from doing this every day.

But more than that, it’s about teaching what it means to truly feed your mind, body, and soul.

We’ll also be bringing back something that feels really aligned for me… a version of What’s Up Wednesday now being branded as the Kitchen Table conversations. This live will start in June, after Wednesday Night Dinners, I’ll be sitting down… plate in hand… and sharing a moment with you. Reflecting on the week, the work, and the life that surrounds it.

Simple. Real. Unscripted.

As we move into summer, there’s also a shift happening around us. As graduation season comes to a close, and Farmville begins to quiet down. The pace softens. The energy changes. And that’s something I’ve always loved about living here.

So I’ll leave you with this… Be a tourist in your own town this summer.

Walk the High Bridge.
Visit the Moton Museum.
Spend the day Walking Main Street
Try somewhere new. Support local. Slow down enough to actually enjoy where you are. There is so much here… if you choose to see it.

This season feels different for me.

More thoughtful.
More grounded.
More aligned.

And I’m grateful you’re here to grow through it with me.

Gratefully Yours,
Tammy

This week has been one of those reminders… the kind that stops you in your tracks.

With Corinne’s accident… with my dad’s health… with everything happening around me…It hit me in a way I couldn’t ignore. Life can change in a moment. And we spend so much time saying, “I’ll deal with that tomorrow.” “I’ll have that conversation later.” “I’ll make time when things slow down.”

But the truth is… We don’t always get tomorrow.

Even in the Easter story… there’s this moment of loss, of uncertainty, of not knowing what comes next… before renewal ever shows up.

And I think sometimes we forget that part. We want the resurrection. We want the celebration. But we don’t always honor the moment in between.

This week reminded me… Don’t wait. Don’t wait to say what matters. Don’t wait to show up. Don’t wait to be part of your own life.

Because what we’re given… is right now.

And if we can live in a way that feels aligned… that feels true… that feels meaningful… That’s the real blessing. So wherever you are in your season right now… I hope you choose to be present in it. I hope you choose to live it fully. And I hope you know… I’m grateful for you.

Gratefully Yours,
Tammy

March 29, 2026

I’m gonna be honest with y’all…

This week, I caught myself looking at the calendar thinking — Should I be doing more? Should I add something? Should I fill in the gaps? Should I be pushing harder?

And then I had to stop and really sit with that. Because not every space is meant to be filled. Sometimes we try to force things… force business, force momentum, force energy… because we think if we’re not constantly moving, we’re falling behind.

But that’s not the truth. The truth is…

Where your mind goes, your energy flows.

And if I let my mind go to lack…
to “not enough”… to “I should be doing more”… That’s exactly the energy I’m going to create. So instead, I shifted. I looked at this week for what it actually is:

A breath.
A reset.
A moment to prepare for what’s coming next.

Because April and May? They’re full. In all the best ways. And if I don’t honor this space right now… I won’t be grounded when things pick up. And then there’s this other piece of it…

This newsletter.