The Mill City Times Interview: Chefs Sammy McDowell and Jocie Thomas on Their Version of the Ghost Kitchen Concept
Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 4:39AMArticle by Becky Fillinger
Ghost kitchens, professional cooking facilities set up for the preparation of delivery-only meals, have arrived in the Twin Cities. Last week saw the announcement of Kenwood Food & Beverage housing four restaurants out of one Uptown location - Chicken Republic, Venice Salads & Bowls, Shakee Shakee and Red Cow. Other local ghost kitchen collaborations are less ambitious but every bit as pioneering to the partners involved. We talked to Chefs Jocie Thomas of Gravy Babies and Sammy McDowell of Sammy’s Avenue Eatery about their version of the ghost kitchen concept.
Sammy McDowell of Sammy’s Avenue Eatery and Jocie Thomas of Gravy Babies
Q: Sammy, you’re hosting Gravy Babies out of your restaurant. Why was this important to you?
Sammy: I realized that small minority restaurant businesses may not have the resources to launch a fully independent restaurant. So, we use one location to house multiple restaurants to reduce overhead costs for everyone, and we can also offer different cuisines to our community and fan base. Gravy Babies happens to be our first one!
Q: Jocie, is this your first restaurant venture?
Jocie: No, I was the owner of The Cozy Kitchen in St. Paul. It was a one woman show – looking back I needed a solid team and it didn’t help that the rent doubled on my space. I wasn’t prepared for the increasing expenses and all the roles I had to play.
Q: How did this collaboration come about?
Jocie: Sammy was a customer of mine and he loved my “Southern-style Slap Yo Mamma” cooking. He asked if I was interested in doing a collaboration that would allow me to test the waters again.
Q: How does the ghost kitchen concept work for you two?
Jocie: Sammy allows me to use his kitchen on Sundays. We start at 11AM and end around 4PM. The menu changes weekly and I’ll post the upcoming food choices on Facebook. I also send out mass texts to all my followers. We offer mainly takeaway, but also offer delivery and some people choose to dine in. Sammy not only lets me use his facility, he’s there taking orders and bagging meals to go. When it is super busy for me, he limits the number of orders he’ll take for his own business. I’m so very grateful for this overwhelmingly kind gesture from Sammy.
Sample of a Gravy Babies' Sunday Supper. This one featured oven roasted turkey and dressing with all kinds of sides. Some serious comfort food!
Q: What would you like to tell other restaurant owners who might be hesitant to venture into ghost kitchening?
Jocie: Start small with a few items that you have perfected – you want to have a following. For me, peach cobbler was a tried and true item. Also, any meat that I cook, smothered in gravy, is a hit item. Most critical, find a good partner – someone who of course is interested in a successful business venture, but who also cares about people and the community. For me, the collaboration is going great. I can see old faces from the Cozy Kitchen and meet new customers from Sammy’s base. I bring in new business for Sammy – it’s so good for both of us.
Sammy: This has been a very pleasant journey for me. I’ve been able to learn, grow and expand into other cuisines. It is also very cost effective during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it creates more options for your customer base, how can it be anything but good?
My next collaboration is with Aaliyah Rose of Miss Garrett’s Vegan Soul – she’ll ghost kitchen out of our Central location on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Check out all this good food that we’re making in one location! Call 612-236-4882 to order!
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About Becky Fillinger
I’ve been a resident of the Mill District only since July 2019, but have visited the Guthrie, the Farmers Market, restaurants and friends in the area for many years prior to making the leap to Minneapolis. I’ve lived in many places (and climates) in the US and can testify that our cultural events, bicycle and hiking trails, parks and green spaces, museums, diverse neighborhoods and wonderful restaurants put Minnesota and Minneapolis high on my best places list. I’m a member of the Mill City Singers and look forward to our choir practices and performances.
One of my main interests is community - a very broad concept. For me it means bringing people together with common interests to form meaningful relationships. I look forward to reporting on businesses and individuals in our neighborhoods. Feel free to drop me an email at becky_fillinger@hotmail.com with your thoughts and ideas for stories.
