WS Chronicle

Business of the Month

By Busta Brown

Patrice Jeffreys is the owner and cook for Trice’s Eatz catering service in Winston-Salem. You could immediately see glow of happiness on her face and a huge proud smile when I asked her when did it all begin.

“I come from a long line of cooks. From my great-grandmother, to my grandmother, mother, aunt and now me. I lived in the kitchen as a child and admired these women sitting at the kitchen table, hovering over the stove while I asked tons of questions,” she responded.

Jeffreys said her grandmother had a garden in her backyard. “She use to cut the chickens’ heads off. My mom and aunt use to chase the chickens. I didn’t have to do that,” she said while we were both laughing.

At 9 years old, she learned to cook hot dogs and eggs. “I told my babysitter that I was hungry, and she said go in the kitchen and figure it out. I saw hotdogs and eggs, so I cooked it.”

Patrice Jeffreys told me, “It started off as a hustle. I took after my grandmother. She sold roasted peanuts as a side hustle. So in 2009 my mom had passed, I had my third son, I was in college, and was only working part time. I needed to supplement my income. I started off selling plates at the barber shops and hair salons, and then word of mouth helped me get more and more customers and my business took off from there.”

She does all the cooking, preparing and deliveries; she’s a one-woman show.

When I looked at the layout she prepared for me, I was in heaven. There was fried chicken wings, her famous mac n cheese if you please, greens, sour cream corn bread, Trice’s Eatz very own strawberry lemonade, grilled shrimp salad, peach cobbler and the popular caramel topping banana pudding. I told Jeffreys that I couldn’t wait for the interview to end, and we laughed for about three minutes.

Patrice Jeffreys, self-taught chef/owner, is the CEO of Trice’s Eatz, a five star catering company in Winston-Salem, featuring soul food like none other. Jeffreys is a graduate of Parkland High School, Forsyth Technical Community College (AAS) and she attended Salem College, where she majored in Business Administration. The business owner said her children are her inspiration when things get tough. “As a single mother of three boys, I’ve taught them the value of hard work and that nothing is given. Through determination, anything is possible and the sky is the limit. I am building a legacy so that the three of them will always have something to fall back on and creating a source of generational wealth within my family.”

When I asked what sets Trice’s Eatz apart from other catering companies, she said, “My food is not predicated on fads and is not prejudice to one specific culture. The level of detail, love, care and unyielding commitment is displayed in each dish I prepare, whether it be for one person or a few hundred people. Trice’s Eatz is here to provide quality food, excellent customer service, and promises to always be consistent.”

Your mouth will water for some Trice’s Eatz when you check out the rest of my interview on The Chronicle’s YouTube channel at Winstonsalem Chronicle. Also check out my verdict on of Trice’s Eatz after I taste the beautiful layout she prepared for me. You can contact Trice’s Eatz at (336) 407-3136 or patricejeffreys@yahoo.com or go to the Facebook page at TricesEatz.

Companies interested in becoming a Business of the Month should apply at https://triadminoritybusinessexpo.com/. This feature is sponsored by the Winston-Salem Branch of the NAACP, Winston-Salem Urban League, Triad Minority Business Expo, Forsyth Technical Community College Small Business Center, Winston-Salem Black Chamber of Commerce and The Chronicle.