This Momma’s Kitchen

When you meet Jennifer Brunet, or, ‘Momma’ of This Momma’s Kitchen, it’s clear to see why she is referred to as ‘Momma;” her nurturing aura weaves its way through each gastronomic dish she prepares and transports you to a place of comfort. Jen explains how this perfectly appropriate name for her business arose: “I was sitting around the island in the kitchen with my kids, and I was telling them about how I wanted to start a business. The name just came up organically in our conversation. I’m the momma. It’s my kitchen. And that’s how it was born!”

Jen’s journey did not start in the culinary industry, but in the field of nursing. She commented that, “What initially prompted my food business was my work as a nurse at the hospital here in town. I was looking for a way to make some money staying home. I started making prepared meals for our community because there was a need for it. I’m not a trained chef but I’ve been a total foodie and home cook my entire life, as have my staff. So we really embrace that passion.“ That shared passion among Jen and her staff is demonstrated through their sumptuous spreads. By virtue of the fact they are not trained chefs in the traditional sense, there is a freedom for creativity that allows them to have versatile menu options.

This Momma’s Kitchen has an array of products and services. Their main service is customizable catering, but that’s not all! They make charcuterie; they have grazing tables, and they offer prepared meals once a month on a schedule. Lastly, they have started hosting farm to table dinners in the summer and fall months.

The mission behind Jen’s business is “to be present in our community, and help people during some of their intimate moments to make them memorable.” An additional component of this mission is to ensure flexibility for their customers when it comes to orders. As Jen explains, “I focus on customizable catering. I want to make the experience complement what you’re looking for. I’m diverse with what I’m able to do. For example, if the occasion were a wedding, I would like to hear what you want and then go from there. People often have an idea in their mind of what they’re looking for and I just love to deliver on that and then some.” Indeed, Jen’s willingness to work alongside her clientele to develop curated meals that reflect their preferences is noteworthy.

Since This Momma’s Kitchen is a food business that offers customizable catering, they set themselves apart from other caterers who have a fixed menu. Jen’s heart and roots are in comfort food, but her mind is in more elevated plating and concepts. Variety is, after all, the spice of life!  As Jen states, “Just because you don’t think we do something doesn’t mean we can’t do it. If you’re ever wondering if we can make something or pull something off, definitely ask.” The customizable menu offerings came about from Jen’s love for hosting dinner parties. In fact, she explains, “We are hosting farm to table dinners, and there’s nothing more community centred than going from farm to farm to farm and taking the best produce and protein and cheeses and alcohol and bringing it all together through our culinary vision and creating this beautiful meal. That’s why the farm to table dinners are so exciting for me, because it’s been a dream to host a farm to table dinner. It helps us to support our community as well.”

In addition to supporting local farms, Jen acknowledges the importance of harvesting and cultivating meals based on what products are in season. She elaborates, “It’s important to me to cook seasonally. We use whole ingredients. We make everything from scratch. All our soups, stews, stock sauces, condiments, everything we make is from us. We use as little processed ingredients as possible. We try to source locally in the spring, and the summer months. We also have our own garden where we have fresh herbs and flowers and some vegetables.”

When it comes to milestones, Jen explains, “We’ve been operating for five years, but I worked as a nurse part time for the first three and a half years. I still work at the hospital occasionally, but I’m full time with my food business, and that was the biggest milestone for me,  when I took the leap of faith to go from a solid career in nursing to being an entrepreneur, and completely self-employed. Last year turned out to be a huge success and we’re just trying to grow from there.”

Growing one’s business and developing a network comes with advocating for yourself and making those initial connections. Jen credits the Perth and District Chamber of Commerce with helping her to get the brand out there and promote the business. She has taken advantage of attending networking events held by the Chamber. She explains, ”I’ve already met other business owners and the networking events helped too. I feel like becoming a member of the chamber has had a huge positive impact. I was on a panel at the Bossy Conference just a few weeks ago, which was a huge opportunity for me personally. I’ve always wanted to speak at a conference and to have a start somewhere through the Chamber was special for me.” Jen’s active involvement in voicing her desire to engage with Chamber events reinforces some of the key reasons to join the Chamber, to grow your network, get exposure and learn.

With school out of session and the warmer weather on the horizon, there are plenty of opportunities to go on local excursions and enjoy staycations this summer. If you’re craving delicious meals, and memorable outings, This Momma’s Kitchen has got you covered! Please make sure to check out their upcoming Farm to Table Dinners and other events below! For information on upcoming Farm to Table Dinners, other events, and booking, please visit: thismommaskitchen.ca.