OUR NOIRE KITCHEN

WORDS Kelly Sanford PHOTOGRAPH Amy Sexson

Sometimes, it takes an element outside of our control to spur us into pursuing our dreams and reaching for the things we’ve always wanted. This element can challenge everything we think we know, turn our lives upside down, and lay waste to years of planning. For people like Laures and Kadean Dockery, owners of Our Noire Kitchen, this can be the tipping point for something truly amazing.

The Dockerys’ pivotal moment came in the form of a global pandemic. The entire world had shut down, and like so many others, they found themselves in an unexpected situation. Kadean, furloughed from Disney after 13 years, felt doubt about his job security, and Laures, two months away from earning her MBA, realized any job opportunities this degree would offer were suddenly put on hold. “It was a strange time,” recalled Laures, “but I knew for the first time ever, my husband, son, and I got to be home together all day, every day until the world resumed. So we did things we always wanted to do, but didn’t have the time to.” This included turning a longtime dream into a reality. “Our Noire Kitchen was unofficially on my mind for years,” Laures said. “I was unfulfilled and discontent at practically every job I’ve ever had. I constantly wondered what my ‘why’ was. How could I make an impact? I wanted to wake up on Mondays and actually look forward to going to work.” Then, one day, she randomly thought out loud to Kadean, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we had our own food truck?” Over the course of the time that followed, she would daydream with him about what they would call it, what kind of food they would serve, and what sort of equipment they would need.

Kadean was receptive but also apprehensive, with lots of technical questions about how it would happen. He worked at Disney for 13 years and hoped to get promoted. It is no secret that Laures is a massive fan of her husband’s cooking. (She even took a food photography class to better capture his culinary creations!) She believed in him so much that she was convinced he should resign if he wasn’t promoted by his next anniversary. “I told him he was too talented,” she said. Then, in March of 2020, the pandemic hit, everything changed, and Our Noire Kitchen was born.

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Photo by Laures Dockery

Kadean was born in Ft. Lauderdale but traveled to Jamaica often to visit family there. Throughout his teens, he would spend his summers at his grandparents’ restaurant in Kingston, Doc’s Jerk Centre, where he learned how to prepare delicious Caribbean dishes and developed an understanding of the love and care that went into them. He moved to Haines City in 2007 and graduated early from Ridge Community High School. Soon after, he applied at Disney and would spend the next 13 years there acquiring different skills that would prepare him for Our Noire Kitchen. He developed speed and organization, learned to manage high volume, and lead a kitchen. Ultimately though, Kadean said, “My wife’s love for food is what inspired me to creatively experiment with new dishes at home.”

Laures was born and raised in Miami and moved to St. Pete as an undergraduate. She bounced around a series of quick-service food jobs until she earned a degree in Hospitality Management, which led to jobs at two different Hilton properties and eventually a position as a Slots Supervisor at Hard Rock Casino. She met Kadean at a party in 2014 while living in Tampa, and the couple married four years later. She has since earned her MBA. Due to the convenient location, they decided to buy their first home in Central Florida. Laures said, “We needed a comfortable midpoint [between Hard Rock and Disney], and that’s how we ended up here!” When the decision was finally made to bring Our Noire Kitchen to life, Laures said, “We adopted a mentality very early on which was ‘use what you currently have to get started.’ God cannot bless what you don’t start. We didn’t get caught up in what we didn’t have. We just did our best and slowly upgraded along the way.”

They began by offering private chef services and catering drop-offs. Laures said, “Our private chef service allows clients to have full control over the menu while having a five-star dining experience in the comfort of their home or Airbnb.” They added meal prep solutions, including various plant-based, paleo, and keto options, which can be portioned individually or feed an entire family. They also have a massive pit smoker, which they typically use for Caribbean items and barbeque, and for stepping out of the box with new, unexpected dishes like their pork belly fried rice and coffee-rubbed steak and eggs. “With the pit smoker,” Laures said, “we began applying to farmers markets and community events.” They eventually joined Catapult (an entrepreneurial center in Lakeland), which allowed them to get fully licensed.

This year, they began offering three-course cooking demos at the Treasured Olive in downtown Winter Haven and have evolved

into collaborating with other small businesses and hosting their own pop-ups. Laures said, “This allows us to deliver alternative, creative culinary experiences in the Winter Haven and Lakeland areas.” They host a monthly “Taste of Brunch” event at the Poor Porker in Lakeland and offer Caribbean cuisine every second Saturday at Reggae Night with Fire Light Reggae there as well. They have done several brunch pop-ups at Haven Coffee Roasters in Winter Haven and are starting a new series called “Tasty Tuesday” with a rotating menu at Catapult.

As for the food, if you happen to follow them on social media or have been lucky enough to catch one of their pop-ups, you will understand that words like “mouthwatering,” “scrumptious,” and “delectable” just do not seem big enough for a proper description. At one of their Treasured Olive demos, they showcased pan-seared scallops over a roasted sage butternut squash puree topped with a walnut bacon crumble. More recently, at their Star Wars-themed brunch pop-up at Haven Roasters, “May the Fork Be with You,” they offered the Five Leia Breakfast Sandwich, an English muffin layered with their homemade bourbon blueberry jam, special breakfast patties, barbequed pork belly, sharp cheddar cheese, and a fried egg. Fan favorites include staples like creamy gouda grits and sixcheese mac n’ cheese. Kadean’s favorite is their Double Love Wings which are smoked, fried, then drenched in a caramel sriracha sauce, while Laures loves their oxtail grilled cheese with arugula, Havarti, red onion jam, and roasted red pepper sauce. They are constantly experimenting with new, exciting food combinations because, Laures said, “At the end of the day, we love to intrigue you with the ingredients and blow your mind when you taste it.”

The Dockerys have a few exciting opportunities in the works at new venues, breweries, and coffee shops in Polk County, and they hope to have a food truck in the near future. Eventually, they would love to acquire a physical location but not in the traditional sense. “We have some creative experiences in mind!” Laures hinted. Whatever the future holds for Our Noire Kitchen, one thing is certain. This couple has found their very own recipe for success: talent mixed with hard work, topped with the ability to inspire each other, and a heaping side of faith.

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