Today we’d like to introduce you to Reggie Robinson.
Hi Reggie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story starts with a story of my grandfather, the namesake of the business – lil’Boy Blue. It’s a story I’ve often told when I want to convey my admiration of him; a true story of how purpose elevates us to a more meaningful place.
“Add the flour first,” he instructed me with the same convicted providence I imagined he had with his naval sous chefs. The sugar, baking powder, and dash of salt all sat patiently awaiting their turn. “Now sift it because only the finest candidates can get the job.” Somehow, I felt like there was more to that.
To ensure the expected excellence, I poured the milk. Steady. Meticulous. Measured; as if performing surgery on the President. Grandpas’ work as the head chef of the mess hall on an old WWII vessel came to light, “keep a level eye son, but don’t get caught up in the paralysis of analysis! – get it done!” Cracked eggs and a shot of oil completed this milk mixture to which the dry ingredients were added.
He whispers, almost reverently “now, this is where the magic happens,” as he holds the mixing bowl and wields the spatula with the grace of a tai chi master. He explains, “the most important part of this process is the relationship you engineer between the ingredients; the ability to respect and appreciate their differences while forging their union is central to the success of the product.” Seeing that he mesmerized my mind, he adds, “you’ll catch that later.”
“Have ya cut’cha fire on Son?” Discerning my look of shame, he counsels, “separation is in the preparation and,” scripted, I recite the latter half of this instilled value, “the distinction is in the details.” His gentle proddings always inspired me to grow, to explore my potential and become more of what I felt I could be.
As if mother nature, herself, could no longer bear the anticipation, batter and cast iron embrace for the first time. A lingering warmth and velvet aroma endorse the encounter. To further christen this hallowed moment, smooth creamy butter cascades in a slow showy promenade. Grandpa smiles one of those arresting smiles that nests inside your memory for two forevers and says, “the butter,” nodding his head to affirm the thought, “touches the heart,” carefully noting the emotional intelligence of the recipe. Finally, the apathetic swagger of the caramelized viscous fluid merges the chasm between bottle and breakfast bliss.
As things began to speed up, my childlike inquisitivity kicked in, “Grandpa why do you make hot cakes so good?” Clear about his leadership vision: “Son, I am not just in charge of breakfast; I am in charge of daily morale…and when you do it right, you’ll change lives.”
The ideas of transcendence captured by those immortal words have had a tremendous impact on me. Hotcakes nourishment not just for the body but for the mind, the career, and legacy. Now that I’m older, I see that it was never about the melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness or some sacred family recipe for that matter – it was the leadership he was pressing into my mind, the process of living in a way that adds value in the lives of others.
My Grandfather was a father of 6, a husband of 60 years, and a small business owner with more than 600 customers. He was many things to many people, but to me, he was my introductory course in transcendent leadership. Like my grandfather, I have become a zealot about transcendence. I believe that leadership provides us the opportunity to build a legacy through the values we create, the minds we captivate, the hearts we touch, and the lives we change.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
So many times, mission and vision statements are created then hung on the wall for aesthetic. My daily striving is to pull ours off the wall and deploy it – to make it work for us. The mission of lil’Boy Blue BBQ is “Loving serving and serving love.” That means that I shop like I shop for loved ones. It means that I cook like I cook for loved ones. It means I’m on time, efficient and that I do the extra stuff because that’s what service is. It means I continue to find ways to amplify voices, fund community service projects, and invest in literacy on increasingly wider scales because THAT’s what service is.
Loving serving and serving love is not just our mission or some catchy edict, it’s who we are, it’s what we hold true, and it’s why we cook. And every opportunity we get to serve, refreshes our love to do it.
Now, of course, all of this is a lot easier said than done. Challenge accepted!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Catering and Private Dining complete with seductive storytelling, world-class service, and lingering artisanal flavors steeped in buckets and buckets of love.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Since lil’Boy Blue BBQs’ inception, success has been a moving target. It was, first, to have the courage to cook for others. Then it was to have the courage to charge for the product versus continuing to give it away. Now it’s economics – in what ways can we provide financial opportunity for those in our sphere of influence at scale? My Spidey senses tell me this is going to take courage.
Contact Info:
- Email: lilboybluebbq@gmail.com
- Instagram: @lilboybluebrunchnbbq
Image Credits
Personal Photo: Shawn Sebesta Insta – @shawn_sebesta
