DINING GUIDE

from Style Magazine, April 2020

by Akers Media Group

SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

The Kitchen Cafe

Leesburg restaurant offers tasty food that’s prepared with love.

PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

hirley Boyd, Jennie Woods and Stephanie Clark are employees of UF Health Leesburg Hospital. The three friends often begin discussing possible lunch destinations around midmorning. Of course, the fi nal decision is almost always the same. The Kitchen Café in downtown Leesburg is their go-to place. “We come here several times a week because the food is spectacular,” says Shirley, of Lady Lake. “It really doesn’t matter what you order because everything is so fresh and prepared with love. I tell everyone I know to come here.”

Those words are gratifying to Ze’ Carter, who opened The Kitchen Café in November 2019 with her daughter, Joy. Ze’, who has spent the past 13 years as a private chef, is excited to share her cooking with the rest of the community.

“I feel that we’ve brought something diff erent to Leesburg’s dining scene,” says Ze’, a 1991 graduate of Tavares High School. “There are a lot of fastfood options, but there are not many good food options. We believe in cooking from the soul—that’s what soul food is all about. We want every dish to be fresh and taste its best, and we can accommodate almost every diet.”

She also wants customers to have a say in what they order, which is why there’s a “create-your-own-bowl” option on the menu. Customers can choose a base (brown rice, sweet potatoes, good rice or riced caulifl ower), a vegetable (sautéed corn, black beans, trinity mix or honey carrots), a protein (citrus grilled chicken, personal meatloaf, herb-roasted chicken or bacon cheddar chicken) and a side sauce (spicy honey, balsamic, barbecue or creamy ginger).

“You go to some restaurants and ask for a No. 12, and they tell you what a No. 12 is,” Ze’ says. “We’ve turned that insideout. We let customers tell us what they would like to eat.”

Diners who go to The Kitchen Café for breakfast can order sweet potato hash, and other Southern inspired breakfast options. In addition, the lunch menu off ers a variety of sandwiches served on Yalaha Bakery bread, as well as homade soups and salads.

Her restaurant also is the site of The Kitchen Cooking School, where classes are taught and participants taste class prepared dishes.

“I demo a recipe and give them cooking tips,” Ze’ says. “Then we eat it. It’s like having a private chef without the costs of a private chef.”

They also host boutique events such as baby showers and birthday parties for 50 or fewer guests.