MAKERS: Candace Maiden, Catering Director, and Kurtis Williams Sr., Executive Chef
BUSINESS: Squash the Beef Catering
FOR THE HEALTH OF IT: Squash the Beef is a catering company specializing in vegan comfort foods, but the call to go meatless wasn't rooted entirely in animal rights. Williams suffers from high-blood pressure and diabetes. He believes the lifestyle change dramatically improved his health.
"I was on like six medications," Williams said, "I recently went to the doctor and my blood-pressure is low, and they took me off five of the meds."
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: Only having been in business since March of 2019, Williams and Maiden have seen a huge response.
"I did not think business would boom as quickly as it did," Maiden said.
They hope the next steps will lead to a food truck and eventually a brick-and-mortar vegan sports bar. Maiden thinks the demand is there.
"That's one thing you do not see in the marketplace," Maiden said. "I think everyone, not just vegans but non-vegans, would love that, too."
BESTSELLERS: Some of the more inventive items on the menu include “Kale Lemonade” and the “Comfort Cone,” a scoop of dirty grits, mac-and-cheez and vegan chicken with hot sauce and maple syrup all atop a waffle cone.
"People love it, I love it," Williams said, "I love to make it, I love to eat it."
