Ms. Cathy Jenkins

"In 2013 Cathy Jenkins opened Cathy’s Kitchen Restaurant and Diner in Ferguson, MO based upon a 2 month road trip around America. Unlike most restaurants, her menu is based on her favorite dishes from each state and soon became one of the most popular restaurants in the St. Louis area!

However, in 2014 Michael Brown was killed by a Ferguson Policeman and the events that would follow would forever change her life. Cathy’s Kitchen Restaurant and Diner sits 2 doors down from the Ferguson Police department and immediate protest stopped all sales to the restaurant. Cathy quickly realized her business could not operate as normal so she decided to cook all the food she had to feed the protesters. She rolled her cart up the street and fed them all for free as they stood in the bitter cold protesting the death of Michael Brown. This decision was life changing.

After the verdict the riots began and the city of Ferguson began to burn. To her surprise all those protesters she fed made a human chain around her restaurant and protected her building from getting damaged. The next day after the smoke had cleared Cathy’s Kitchen was the only restaurant that could open for business.

Her act of kindness created a new popularity in the restaurant. People came from all over the world to dine at Cathy’s Kitchen. She had lunch with Danny Glover, Harry Bellafontaine, Kevin Costner, Melissa Etheridge and The Speaker of The House “Nancy Pelosi” came to visit Cathy!

The new year brought new opportunities but also brought new challenges with the Coronavirus Pandemic. However, Cathy is still moving forward and expanding the business with her own product line of hot sauces and a new location opening in fall 2023. With 33 years of marriage and 3 lovely children, it's now time to grow the business with the family and she looks forward to what the future will bring!