Check Out Lygia Gordon’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lygia Gordon.

Hi Lygia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I was a little girl, I use to observe the women in my life prepare food for the gatherings with the family. Ecstatically, I couldn’t wait to be apart of that magic. As soon as I was tall enough to stand over the stove, you couldn’t keep me out of the kitchen, Lol. I was about 9-ish when I first started cooking little things. My Dad was the Breakfast King, his grits and rice was unmatched. Til this day, I still cook them the way he did. I had advanced by the age of 14; cooking bigger meals with my Mom. I’ve always kept a journal of my dreams and goals that I wanted to accomplish in life; one of them was owning my own Restaurant called Down Home Blue’s with a live Jazz Band. I’m definitely working to seek out that dream. I’m walking in it now! Like my Dad, I’ve always been a Jack of all trades, tapping into whatever caught my curiosity because my craving to learn new things is inevitable. But, no matter what I was doing; Cooking was my safe place.

I always found my way back to it because it made my heart happy and I loved sharing that with other people. I’ve sold dinners over the years, worked on other Food Trucks, such as the Bleu Kitchen, catered little parties showcasing my skills while building a name for myself and exploring ways to stand out. It wasn’t until 2019, after giving birth to my Son, that I really started investing in myself and my business: Rae’s of Sunshine Catering. The name is inspired by my four beautiful children; Amerae, La’Raea, Raelyn and King’Rae. Since being furloughed from my job this year due to this Pandemic, I’ve never been more focused on perfecting my craft and promoting my Brand. Although this year has been difficult and heartbreaking; my silver lining is watching Rae’s of Sunshine Catering flourish before my eyes. It’s both motivating and fulfilling having people’s taste buds dancing to my food. Providing an experience with every bite.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It’s never an easy journey when starting your own business. You experience so many losses before you win. For me, it was the promoting, just getting people to support you was difficult because like most things, it’s a popularity contest. It was also hard staying consistent because I had to work to provide for my family. My Catering business wasn’t established enough to make my ends meet my lifestyle. Another challenge that I experienced was that “It Factor” I needed to stand out. What was I gonna offer that was different than others? It was when I figured out the answer to that question, where I found triumph in all my sacrifices and struggles. This Pandemic brought out the best in me.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Rae’s of Sunshine Catering is nostalgia for the soul. Real authentic food with a pinch of comfort and sprinkled with lots of love. A home away from home. Down Home Southern cooking with a twist, but reminiscent to Grandma’s Hands. One of my deepest inspirations behind me wanting to serve others is my Granny, Sarah Shorts. My Granny has 23 Grandchildren, 32 Great Grandchildren and about 7 Great-Great Grandchildren and counting. The greatest gift she could have given us was bringing us together through her cooking. Her kitchen was never empty and we were never hungry. Her food told unforgettable stories with lasting memories on your taste buds. Some of my favorites was her Fried Chicken, Tea Cakes, Zucchini Bread and Okra, corn and tomatoes 😋 The only chicken that can be put in the microwave the next day and still taste like she just fried it. That’s a gift! Lol. There are no Soul Food Restaurants that can come close to the magic my Granny’s hands have in the Los Angeles Area.

That’s where Rae’s of Sunshine Catering comes in: delivering that good ole Soul Food. My most requested dishes are my Mac and Cheese and my Savory Dressing( taught to me by my Granny). I’m the only one in my family allowed to make these dishes during the holidays, amongst the other dishes that they love. I’m most proud of my growth and tenacity of not giving up on my dreams. This Culinary game is tough and only the strong will survive. I’m really proud of the support I receive from everyone, it for me, confirms that my hard work is paying off. What sets me apart from others is the love I put into every ingredient. Of course, I want to make money, but it’s the experience that I give them that keeps me rich. I love what I do and you can taste it. That alone is rewarding… Leaving a good taste in people’s mouth about you.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how diverse we are! I like that we are able to freely express ourselves in all our weirdness and it’s embraced. I like how resourceful we are and how powerful a “word of mouth” is in our city. I’ve had some amazing experiences and opportunities through others and social media. The thing that grinds my gears the most is that we don’t support the local small businesses enough. We need to invest more into our neighborhoods. That’s how we grow as a community.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: Raes_of_Sunshine_Cater
• Facebook: Raes_Of_Sunshine_Catering

Image Credits
LygiaRae