Odessa's

12/08/2026

Can we talk about GARNISH for a minute?

We tend to treat garnish like it's just there to make food pretty.

Not over here.

We are foodies. Garnish is FOOD. It's part of the EXPERIENCE.

***Fun fact: North Carolina Food Code requires food to be safe, unadulterated and honestly presented and FDA guidance says non-edible decorations should be removed before food is served.

So when you open an Odessa's container, don't just admire the little extras and toss them to the side.

EAT. THE. GARNISH.
Take a mental vacation. A flavor retreat.

Edible flower? Taste it. Clean your palate before your next bite.

Jalapeño with your pimento cheese? Crunch it WITH the cheese. Absolutely.

That lemon sitting beside your Mediterranean Chicken Salad? Baby, SQUEEZE IT.

The cucumber. The strawberry. The fresh dill. The pecan. The cheese. The herbs.

None of it is there just so I can take a cute picture. It's intentional. Another flavor. Another texture. Another little part of the service we provide.

Because I believe you deserve a mouth party even if it's packaged in a small 8 oz container.

Some of us only get 30 minutes for lunch.

That's 30 minutes away from Nagging Nancy, “look at my new "15th" grandbaby Cassandra” and “you're such a good worker, but no, we're not giving raises” Boss Lynnwood.

Please enjoy yourself.

Maybe that got a tad personal... but you get it😂

We are foodies. Garnish is food. Eat it. 🤎

11/08/2026

Look what made the restock today, y’all. 👀

It took MANY pairings to find the perfect match for this one. Back in 2024, a loyal guest and I made the ultimate discovery...
Whew. Pumpernickel. 😮‍💨
I don’t know why it works. It just DO. 😂
Brown Sugar Pecan is good all by itself, but put it on pumpernickel? A cinnamon raisin bagel? Or “T’s Secret Sandwich” that I am FULLY prepared to snitch and tell...and go at it.

Hey, try it and come back and tell me what you discovered.

Matter of fact, one for one: you tell me what you paired yours with, and I'll tell you what’s on T’s Secret Sandwich. 👀

Get enough good combinations in these comments and I may mess around and do a whole FREE hors d’oeuvres pop-up one Saturday, featuring the Secret Sandwich and some of y’all’s pairings....🤔💭

Brown Sugar Pecan Pimento Cheese is BACK! We must be getting close to Fall! Surely Fall is a'comin! 🧀🍁

07/08/2026

First week back. Y’all remembered us. 🥹
Cooler full. Heart fuller. 🤎

04/08/2026

WE'RE BACK. 🤍

For the first time in what feels like forever... Odessa's is officially back in production!

🌿 Today's Restock:
Tuscan Basil Chicken Salad
Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Coming This Week:

Wednesday:
Jalapeño Pimento Cheese
Original Pimento Cheese
Cajun Chicken Salad

Thursday:
Carolina Classic Chicken Salad

Friday:
Garden Party Chicken Salad
Brown Sugar Pecan Pimento Cheese
Cheese and Chicken Flights in our cooler section!

Thank you to everyone who checked on me, asked when I'd be back, and patiently waited while I got everything done the right way. Every permit signed and every inspection passed means I get to serve you with confidence.

Just a teaser... Remember last year's soup lineup... ok, that's all for now. Just wanted to know if you remembered 🤗

31/07/2026

You know... The Bible has a cool rhythm to it when you catch the vibe.
I love biblical talk because it's so assuring.
My favorite transitional phrases are;

And it was, fulfilled...
And it was so.
My all time favorite, And it came to pass...

Ouuu that one just does it for me.

There's a tenderness about the process of being inspired, then building it with a blueprint that only lives in your heart, desire and motivation is the manual... then it is done... and so, it came to pass. Talk about SATISFYINGGGGG! OMG!

Meet Me at Sunset held residence in my sis heart just weeks ago. This evening was magical. We're all home again... she set out to do it... and guess what, it surely came to pass.

Love that term.

Can't wait to use it after this weekend at the garden... it was on my bucket list... and so, it came to pass.

Thank you all... for Meeting us at Sunset 🌇

Well. Guys. WOW.
The words kind of escape me.
Thank you for an unbelievable turnout.
From the bottom of our hearts!
For those of you that got a BOX- come back please with your jar and get your COLD BREW! We didn’t want to put it in the box in case it leaked. 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
Love you ALL! 🩷🩷🩷

30/07/2026

Always remember, that a gathering without food, should've been an email😭

Meet Me at Sunset 🌇 ✨️

📍Haw River, NC

23/07/2026

Alright, let's get this out before I get caught in my feelings.

It's Grand Finale Eve.

What's a Southern cooking camp without learning how to make... drumroll... gravy?

Today's lesson meant a lot to me.

I started class with a speech. To my surprise, it held their attention more than any lesson I've taught these past three weeks. They probably thought Miss Millie was about to cry. Truth be told... I was close. This recipe carries something special for me.

Maya Angelou said "People may forget what you said, they may forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Well, Odessa's says this:

"You may forget many things, but you'll never forget who taught you how to make gravy."

Ask any grown person. Right now. "Who taught you how to make gravy?" They'll know.

I love exploring foods from different cultures; always will. But never stop being curious about your own. Never stop appreciating the recipes that built your family, your table, and your community.

The part that does it for me:

Years from now, one of these children will be standing over a stove making gravy. Somebody will ask, "Who taught you?" My name just might come up.

I'll have become part of someone's gravy hall of fame!

It's never just been about teaching recipes. As a culinary instructor, you plant a piece of yourself into someone else's life. Long after I'm gone, there may still be a little bit of Miss Millie stirring around in somebody's cast-iron skillet.

It's the closest essence of immortality I know.

Happy Birthday to one of my students, who told me he wanted to celebrate his birthday at cooking camp because he wasn't missing a single day.

Baby... you can't buy that kind of love.

Gravy Lab 7.23.26
Breakfast: Homemade Southern Peppered Sausage Gravy over biscuits
Lunch: Hamburgers smothered in Homemade Brown Gravy.

22/07/2026

Day 3 of our final week at Odessa's Little Kitchen! 🍝🧀

For those who don't know our camp by now, every morning we cook our own breakfast, and every afternoon we create our own lunch.

On the very first day of camp, I ask each of my students one simple question:
"What's your favorite food?"

We spend the next three weeks learning the skills to make many of those favorites ourselves.

Today's lesson was one we intentionally saved for the final week... America's comfort food: homemade macaroni and cheese.

We started the morning with another one-skillet breakfast, which ended up being a little more filling than we planned. 😅 That gave us the perfect opportunity to spend some extra time exploring more about the world of pasta, discovering the many shapes that exist and why they were created.
Our biggest challenge has never been finding things to teach. It's fitting everything we want these young chefs to experience into just three wonderful weeks😭

In only three weeks, they've become more confident cooks, more curious learners, better explorers, and more appreciative of the food on their plates.

Today... one of my students looked at me, smiled, and said, "I wish I was in cooking camp forever." 🥺
If you ask me, that's about the greatest compliment a teacher could ever receive🫶🏽

Stay tuned... our grand finale is almost here. ☀️🥘

21/07/2026

My kids have been absolutely acing our one-pan meal lessons this week! 👨🏽‍🍳👩🏽‍🍳👩‍🍳👩🏼‍🍳👩🏿‍🍳🥘🍳🫑🍅

From All About Potatoes to All About Pasta, our young chefs are discovering that some of the greatest meals don't require a sink full of dishes... just one pan, teamwork, and a little creativity.

🥔 Did you know? • There are over 5,000 varieties of potatoes grown around the world. • Potatoes have been cultivated for more than 7,000 years, dating back to around 5000 BC in the Andes Mountains of South America. • One potato can become fries, mashed potatoes, hash browns, chips, gnocchi, and so much more.

🍝 Did you know? • There are more than 600 recognized pasta shapes around the world. • Different pasta shapes are designed to pair with different sauces. • From fettuccine to farfalle, every shape has a purpose!

Watching these young chefs grow more confident with every lesson has been such a joy. They continue to remind me that learning is always better when it's hands-on... and delicious. ❤️😋🤗

20/07/2026

And GOOOOODDDDD MORNINNNGGGG!

I get to watch little minds think. Really think.

To watch confidence replace hesitation. To watch them realize they can do hard things. To hear, "Can I try?" instead of, "I can't."
Man...
This is it.
This is exactly why Odessa's Little Kitchen exists.

Not to create little chefs.

To create curious children. Brave children. Children who know it's okay to ask questions, make mistakes, taste something new, and believe in what their own hands are capable of creating.

Food just happens to be the language we speak.

As we walk into our final week, my heart is so full. If I never accomplish another thing else, I'll forever be grateful that God trusted me with this.

Now... let's cook. ❤️