Today we’d like to introduce you to Ranonda Penn.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am Ranonda Penn, known as Chef Rae in the culinary industry, and the Culinary Artist & Chef of Divalicious Dish. My fascination with all things culinary began when I was 6 years old. I would help my Momma make cakes during the holidays. Of course, the goal was to get first dibs at the beaters. However, I quickly realized it was exciting to see the ingredients come together, give up their talents for the greater good, and make magnificent dishes. From that moment, my passion to learn everything possible about cooking and baking was fully awakened.
Throughout my adult life, I have always thrown dinner parties and events to feed my inner chef – Soul Food Saturdays, Stock Up & Wine Down, food competitions, themed dining experiences. For the longest time, I felt if I took culinary from my personal world and made it my professional world, I would risk hating it. Every few years I’d check out culinary school but never take the leap. After more than 20 years as an IT professional and a layoff, I sold my house and took the plunge full-time into the Art Institute of Houston earning my Bachelor of Science in Culinary Management in 2012. With degree in hand, my entrepreneurial spirit led me to establish Divalicious Dish in 2012 as a catering company. In 2019, we began to specialize in intimate fine dining experiences and culinary adventures. This year, we have added a culinary subscription service.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Those first years were exciting but really hard work challenging me to be better daily. The biggest struggle was finding a commercial kitchen space as required by the regulations. I was blessed to connect with a non-profit and provided cooking related presentations to their clients as needed in exchange for kitchen time.
Through all the struggles I learned how to adjust in the moment when things didn’t go according to plan, connect with clients to truly understand their desires, and then translate their desires into a tailored designed dinner experience for them. I grew a lot in those years as a chef, business owner, and as a person.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Everything I do in the kitchen is influenced by my childhood experiences I had in the kitchen with my Mother and Aunts. My cooking style is a fusion of my childhood Southern dishes artistically reimagined as extraordinary, unforgettable dishes with influences from my African American roots and the African roots of Spain. The Moors rule of Spain was from 711 AD to 997 AD – over 800 years. Their influence is seen throughout the region through the dishes and the foods they introduced to the country such as lemons, dates, saffron, peaches, oranges, sugarcane, apricots, figs, cotton, pomegranate, rice, ginger, and silk.
Right now, I believe I have come full circle. Divalicious Dish now has two brands: The Savory Experience introduced in 2013 represents the fine dining experiences. The latest brand introduced in January 2022, Artisanal Perfection, is a quarterly culinary subscription box service. There is a theme for each quarter. Subscribers receive a box with recipes and other items for an experience that speaks to all the senses. Each quarter I have a live virtual session for any subscriber to have an opportunity to cook the recipes with me. Of course, they are always free to make them on their own.
We offer one-time box services as well. Our first box will be introduced for Mother’s Day centered on Renewal | Mind, Body & Soul. It will include items such as scratch made bites, cocktails/mocktails, hand poured candle and more.
This journey has been ever evolving for me. One of my accomplishments that I am so proud of is being 1 of 3 Recipients of 40 Entrepreneurs to receive the SURE/University of Houston 2014 Entrepreneur Academy Award Pitch Day. We were the inaugural class for the program which walked us through a 12-week program to develop a business plan. We had the opportunity to pitch our concepts to a panel of 12 investors.
My proudest moments are when I witness pure joy in my clients as they are enjoying their experiences.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
“Nothing Ventured. Nothing Gained.”
All choices have risks. I must never let the risks stop me from stepping into new territory. I look at all the “new territory” I have been blessed to experience and I’m forever grateful for the Lord’s grace to let me have those experiences – even those that didn’t work out as expected.
When I was a little girl, one day my Dad wanted me to cover the AC fans on the roof of our house with garbage bags because the weather was going to be very cold. As my Dad lifted me to the roof, I told him that I was afraid of heights. His response, “Well don’t look down.” The lesson I learned from that was to stay focused on the goal instead of what makes me fearful. Even when I’m fearful, I do my best to keep moving forward.
Pricing:
- The Savory Experience – Fine Dining begin at $175 per person
- Culinary Classes begin at $75
- Artisanal Perfection – Subscription Box Service begins at $175 per quarter
- Artisanal Perfection – One Time Box Services begin at $50
Contact Info:
- Email: chefrae@divaliciousdish.com
- Website: https://divaliciousdish.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/chefraeofficial/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/chefraeofficial/
- Other: https://artisanalperfection.cratejoy.com
mage Credits
Blue Treasure Photography
