Dashon Barnes - LaShon's Catering Specialists

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by LaShon’s Catering Specialists

LaShon’s Catering Specialists is a fullservice, off-premise catering company that provides for all your catering needs. This includes services for events and banquets, weddings, baby showers, corporate events, graduations, birthday parties, and family reunions. They also can manage smaller events such as bridal showers, bachelor/ bachelorette parties, as well as intimate and private dining for (2-30) people. LaShon’s also offers youth culinary camps, cooking demonstrations, adult cooking socials, and culinary service consultations.

Led by Chef Dashon Barnes, the company was founded and established in the summer of 2002. It began with Executive Chef Dashon’s vision of wanting to experience the treasures of independence. After being in the food industry for more than seven years, going from dishwasher to prep cook, to line cook, to lead cook, to supervisor, and finally to sous chef, Executive Chef Dashon decided to start his own catering business in Pittsburgh, PA. He then relocated the business to Cleveland, OH in 2013.

Executive Chef Dashon originally hails from Brooklyn, New York. He attended the International Culinary Academy in Pittsburgh, PA, and graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts and Specialized Technology in April 1999. The following year of establishing the company, he made his wife, LaToya, who originally hails from Cleveland, OH, coowner.

LaToya is the Director of Event Planning & Banquets for LaShon’s Catering Specialists. She attended the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Africana Studies (Human Services) in May 1999.

“It is expected that we must prove ourselves in this industry due to an unfortunate stigma that small black-owned businesses are unprofessional and present poor quality service and/or product. We have broken those stereotypes on every level, and we continue to assure our customer service remains stellar.”

LaShon’s Catering Specialists is far from one-dimensional. Chef Dashon says, “We are a multidimensional company specializing in many services from intimate dinners for two and large banquets. We have cooking classes, week-long youth culinary camps, and offer culinary service consultations and catering out-of-state if necessary.”

Dashon and Latoya both share they are inspired by the value of having lifelong independence, as well as leaving their mark and a legacy for their children. “Enjoying our independence is priceless.”

Due to the over-saturation of upcoming black-owned food service start-up companies, the owners of LaShon’s says it has been a challenge to remain up-to-date with what is current. “It is expected that we must prove ourselves in this industry due to an unfortunate stigma that small black-owned businesses are unprofessional and present poor quality service and/or product. We have broken those stereotypes on every level, and we continue to assure our customer service remains stellar,” they said.

While the journey has been challenging, they both admit there isn’t much they would change. “I understood the ins and outs of the food service and beverage industry. I understood the risk involved, and I kept a grounded mind. The journey got us where we are today,” Dashon says.

As they move forward in the future, Dashon and Latoya say they are looking forward to passing the business on to their daughter, LaShon, whom the business is named after. They also plan to continue to display integrity and dignity for all events while servicing clients with excellent customer service.

To learn more about LaShon’s Catering Specialists, please visit their website.