The Breaking Bread Company

01/24/2025

✨️Chef Kay is an" Entrepreneur of Impact!"✨️🎉

I’m Chef Kendra, the heart and force behind Breaking Bread Co., Breaking Bread Ministries Faith Cafe, and the Chef Kay Collective. I’m so happy to have been chosen as a featured business owner on the rise competing in Forbes " Entrepreneurs of Impact" competition where I’ll share how I’ve turned my passion for food, faith, and culture into thriving businesses that empower communities.

This is more than a competition—it’s my chance to show how women entrepreneurs lead with purpose and leave legacies of connection, resilience, and bold flavors and how my faith has opened doors for tremendous impact in my life and in the communities I'm blessed to have spheres of influence over. ✨️💯

Follow my journey, cheer me on, and see how a feature in Forbes Magazine, mentorship by Shark Tank's Daymond John, and $25,000 could expand my impact even further!🤗🎉

01/06/2025

My second cookbook, Gullah & Grits, is coming soon—a celebration of Southern food reimagined. This isn’t just a collection of recipes; it’s an exploration of the culinary traditions of the Gullah Geechee lowcountry, Louisiana Creole cuisine, and the soulful flavors of the South, elevated with modern techniques and artistry. Each recipe connects heritage to innovation, honoring the past while looking forward.

This past week, I tested my recipes for pancakes, using inspiration from New York’s Chez Ma Tante, and lowcountry traditions. At Chez Ma Tante, the secret to their renowned pancakes lies in their texture—a caramelized edge achieved by cooking in clarified butter and a custardy interior created with a delicate batter. I’ve infused that same elevated technique with the soul of the South, using sorghum syrup for an earthy sweetness, vanilla bean paste for depth, and a hint of lemon zest to brighten each bite. These pancakes are not just breakfast; they’re an homage to the interplay of simplicity and sophistication.

My elevated Terrine blends traditional Southern preservation techniques with modern elegance. Layers of smoky pork, duck fat, and the tang of cornichons & pickled okra create a terrine that’s both rustic and refined, offering bold flavors that nod to the resourcefulness of Gullah cooking.

My Chicken Pilau is a masterclass in one-pot cooking, where bone-in chicken, Carolina Gold rice, and a precise balance of acadian spices simmer together to create a dish that’s hearty, flavorful, and deeply rooted in the rice-growing traditions of South Carolina & the Georgia coast. It’s a meal that feels both nostalgic and timeless, a tribute to the communal spirit of Southern cooking.

Finally, the Pickled Okra Pâté transforms humble ingredients into a creamy, herbaceous spread that’s as surprising as it is delicious. It highlights the Southern tradition of pickling while pushing boundaries into something entirely new.

You’re not just learning recipes—you’re learning the stories, techniques, and cultural significance behind them. This is Southern food elevated. I can't wait for you all, not just to read but expirence what a cookbook can be. Chef Kay

12/17/2024

✨ Chef Kay’s Garlic Gold Achiote Oil ✨

This liquid gold is the heartbeat of my kitchen and a love letter to my family and my abuela Dorothy and her rich Cuban roots – the very soul of my next upcoming cookbook, “La Nieta de Dorothy: Dorothy's Granddaughter – Resurrecting a Bold History of Cuban Roots and Modern Latin American Cooking”.

“This is my take on a latin pantry staple custom created with a modern elevating of a timeless classic in a new way!🔥🇨🇺Cuban-spirited infused oil combines the bold flavors of garlic (ajo) and annatto seeds (achiote) to create a golden, aromatic essence. Chef Kay’s signature oil brings depth, color, and a taste of Cuban tradition to every dish, making it a kitchen essential for sautéing, marinating, or finishing your favorite recipes. A true flavor explosion rooted in heritage and perfected with love.”

Imagine this: deep, vibrant olive or aguacate oil infused low and slow with fiery annatto seeds, fresh bay leaves, garlic cloves, red onions, red pepper flakes, and a bright twist of orange peel. Each ingredient whispers the essence of Cuban tradition, brought to life with signature Chef Kay flair.

This oil isn’t just an ingredient – it’s a bridge to el sabor!! The smell alone transports you to the island kitchens, where stories are shared over bubbling pots and slow-simmered meals. Perfect for sofritos, tamales and pasteles, arroz con pollo, roasted meats, or as a finishing drizzle to elevate any dish.

🔥 Get Ready: My new book will resurrect the bold history of Cuban and Latin American cooking in a phenomenal new way while still honoring the authentic ingredients of our latinidad islands– a journey of flavors, tradition, and family brought back to the table. Until then, let this oil be your first taste of the heritage that lives in my kitchen, it's a game-changer!

Who’s ready to stir a little magic into their meals? Mi gente trust when I say you NEED this book in your life...🍽🌴

12/06/2024

"At Jacob's Chance Culinary Arts Program, I have the incredible opportunity to empower adults with special needs through the art of cooking. Watching our participants gain confidence, independence, and joy as they master new skills is truly inspiring. Together, we’re not just making meals—we’re building a community of inclusion, growth, and creativity. 🍴❤️ "

Check out the inspiring journey that has been unfolding over the past two years between Jacob’s Chance and the Breaking Bread Company.Together, we are making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities through our Culinary Arts progr...

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving 🍂🍁🦃✝️

11/27/2024

We are so thankful for amazing partners like Breaking Bread Company, who together, create lasting impact for individuals with disabilities through culinary arts. As demand for culinary education grows, consider helping Jacob's Chance invest more into teaching these skills so more can thrive in the kitchen and beyond! Visit https://www.jacobschance.org/give-for-a-chance to learn more and contribute today!

11/23/2024

TYSM to my amazing Latino Market VA familia! We are ALL an incredible team of artisans and businesses adding such a beautiful array of our unique cultures to the Richmond landscape! 💖💖💖 Ty for all you do for the community with your incredible contributions to our communities in the area America! 💖🔥🙌🙌

11/20/2024

We’re still dreaming about Chef Kendra House’s Famous Southern Macaroni & Cheese. YUM. It’s a tough job taste tasting all these delicious dishes, but somebody’s gotta do it. 😉

11/20/2024

11/20/2024

🌴 CUBA-RICO 🌴 🇨🇺🇵🇷

🔥 Where Cuba Meets Puerto Rico on Your Plate! 🔥

This Sunday, November 24th from 11 AM until sold out, Breaking Bread Co. presents CUBA-RICO, the most electric pop-up in town, serving bold, culture-packed dishes that blend tradition with an edge.

🌿 Vegan? We’ve got you covered. 🌿
💥 Featuring:
🌿 Ropa Vieja Vegana
🌿 Pasteles Vegana
🌿 Vegan Mac & Cheese

🎉 Classics with a Twist 🎉
🍖 Puerto Rican Pernil
🍚 Arroz con Gandules
🍌 Maduros & Tostones de Yuca
🥪 Cuban Sandwiches with a Breakfast Vibe
🧀 Decadent Mac & Cheese
🍢 Pinchos de Pollo

🥤 Drinks to Match the Vibe:
• Creamy Coquito
• Tropical Soursop Juice

🎶 This isn’t just a pop-up—it’s a vibe. 🎶
Come for the food, stay for the flavor revolution. See you at CUBA-RICO this Sunday. Let’s break bread and build culture.

🗣️ Bring your squad and your appetite. Let’s sell out together!

11/05/2024

🧀Check out our FAMOUS Macaroni & Cheese recipe over at Food52 recipe collection! Perfect for potlucks, holidays or cookouts! Check out the recipe below! 🙌🤗🙌😋😋😋soooo good!

Chef Kay’s famous macaroni cheese is always a crowd-pleaser! Full of a freshly grated five cheese blend, thickened in a roux based béchamel cheese sauce and loaded in layers onto large elbow macaroni noodles than baked this showstopper with old-country southern roots is sure to wow the guests at ...

10/31/2024

HAPPY HOWL-OWEEN! The tasting room is CLOSED today but we’ve got a yummy weekend planned!

Join us Sunday from 12-3 pm with an awesome new-to-Blue Bee pop-up by - ‘Cuba-Rico’! This buffet style holiday sampler features delicious dishes like Tamales de Cuba & Ropa Vieja and decadent desserts such as Havana Rum Cake, Flan Cubano, & Tres Leches Cake.

Have a fun and safe Halloween everyone; see y’all this weekend! 🥂

10/25/2024

Eat and be merry - we’ve got you covered at Virginia This Morning on CBS 6 ☀️

Today Perry's Steakhouse & Grille whipped up miso umami butter with ahi tuna fillet mignon - delicious!

Chef Kendra House shared her award-winning recipe for hot honey cornbread ahead of Broadway in Richmond’s October 29 Shucked debut. I’ll take seconds (and thirds and…)

10/21/2024

Your not gonna wanna miss our TWO-DAY CUBA-RICO POPUP 🇨🇺🇵🇷🎄HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA MENU HAPPENING IN JUST TWO WEEKS! CHEF KAY ALONGSIDE CHEF ELISA HAVE CRAFTED ONE OF THE BEST MEALS OF THE YEAR WITH THIS FESTIVE DELICACY PACKED COMIDA 🇨🇺🎄🔥🤤 DAY TWO IS A SUNDAY, GET A TASTE OF MIAMI STYLE NOCHEBUENA WITH A FULL BAR OF ARTISINAL CRAFT BREWS with along with buffet-style HOLIDAY SAMPLER! This is a limited event with spots filling up fast, so get your preorder reservations before we close capacity! For dine in or take out at Blue Bee Cider off Staples Mill near Scott's Additon in Richmond's West End!

Link below👇 or text 804-893-0864 to request the reservation link

https://square.link/u/1WAClZeH

Can't wait to see you there!