Feeding the Community .......6

for family. Then I realized that I could do something more with this, so I went to culinary school to start my journey of becoming the chef I am today,” explains Chef Allen.

There are many chefs who churn out incredible dishes day in and day out, but only a few have the ability to give back to the community like Chef Allen. A to Z’s Catering is proud to be heavily involved in giving back to the community by supporting a variety of fundraisers and nonprofit events. “We are proud to be involved in all types of community events, and we haven’t turned down a community event yet. If you ask us about one, we were probably involved in it,” says Chef Allen.

When asked if the community of Bloomington-Normal does enough to support minority owned businesses, Chef Allen answered, “A huge emphatic YES! I would say so they do. The support that we receive from all over is a pleasant surprise, not only because we are a minority owned business but because we are good people – we create good, wholesome food, and we are consistent with everything we do.”

COVID has been a constant presence for the past two years, but A to Z’s was strong enough to weather the storm by re-inventing themselves by offering things like ‘take n bakes’ to family style dinners. Chef Allen noted that if they had closed their doors because of COVID, then they would have been closed forever. While they did take a hit on profits they still managed to keep their business going.

One of the most memorable A to Z’s Catering gigs was when they catered for Snoop Dogg’s ‘Naughty by Nature’ tour that stopped at the Corn Crib, Normal in 2018. “Our whole crew had free access backstage, it was actually a really

A to Z’s Catering staff: Letoyia Miller, Chef Zach Schobernd and Chef Allen

good, fun time! It was work for us as we did the catering, but we had backstage passes and we were on stage with him at one point. It was fun,” remembers Chef Allen.

A to Z’s Catering future plans include expanding in the form of a food truck. They had one for a couple of months and it created a lot of noise in that short time. “The food truck aspect is a whole different ball game from the restaurant, and it allows you more mobility and access to more potential patrons,” says Chef Allen.

Snoop Dogg poses with Chef Allen. Chef Allen catered for the rapper when he was performing a show in Normal in 2018.

A to Z’s Catering and Parties will be hosting soul food nights every Sunday at Keg Grove Brewing Company, 712 E. Empire St., Bloomington during the first months of 2022.

Check out Keg Grove’s website at keggrovebrewing.com or facebook.com/ atozscateringandparties