dishing with
Serving up Southern culture with Chef ERICA BARRETT
It was a Food Network recipe contest that sparked Erica Barrett to start a catering business; a piqued curiosity that led to the creation of her food line, Southern Culture; and high praise that impelled Erica to open her first restaurant, SOCU Southern Kitchen and Oyster Bar, in Mobile, Alabama. But it was her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for Southern cooking that really catapulted Erica into the South’s culinary spotlight. With all these accomplishments, including a cookbook, she is seeking out new opportunities by expanding the SOCU Mobile location into Birmingham with plans to open in Atlanta as well. We reached out to Erica to give us a glimpse into the story behind her flourishing career, and this is what she had to say.
In 2010, I decided to take my culinary career seriously, so I started a catering company, Oprah’s Favorite Things, , and QVC. After attending the International Culinary Center in New York City, I opened my first restaurant, SOCU Southern Kitchen and Oyster Bar.