About Dee Dee

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My grandmother Elaine would put a stool next to the sink and stove so that I could help and watch her as she cooked. My father was a single dad, so he taught me how to be independent at a very early age. I remember grocery shopping at the age of 13 and balancing the checkbook. My dad bought me my first baking kit at 15 and I fell in love. I was baking cakes weekly and taking them to school for an occasion.

 I started Elaine’s Kitchen in Greenville, SC in 2010 serving meals on the weekend. My passion is that I do better for myself… I used to weigh 320 pounds, looking in the mirror, something must change, I remember my nutrition doctor saying to us. Would u take advice from yourselves… if you are going to be doctors you got to look like it… can’t tell patients one thing and looking different).

In 2012 I moved to Chattanooga, TN as the Program Director for Medical Assistant Program. I was working 55 to 60 hours a week and needed to eat healthier, so I started preparing my meals and taking them with me to work. I continued to prepare meals when I moved to Florida in 2016 to help take care of my aunt who had a stroke and needed help. She is a picky eater and love her Jamaican food so I wanted to make eating easier for her.

I like the way my food makes people feel or remind them of a special time in their lives. I lost someone very close to me in 2017 and cooking helped me through a very tough depression. Through meal preparing and exercise I was able to lose 60 pounds and I am still a work in progress.