Laurey Masterton is certainly no stranger to catering — she's been in the business since 1987, after all. “The concept," she says matter-of-factly, "was to have a job.”
She got off to a rough start, however. Going into catering — knowing absolutely nothing about it — requires research, and Masterton admits to doing very little. Though she did peruse Martha Stewart's Entertaining, she failed to study the word of the law, which dictates, thou shalt not cook for the masses in an uninspected kitchen.
“To be honest,” says Masterton, “I didn't really explore what to do and how to do it — I just started doing it. ... And I did get caught, which is a good thing.” How did she get caught? Somehow Masterton fell into catering a luncheon for a group of health inspectors.
Of course, that didn't stop her. The woman (as anyone who knows her even peripherally is aware) is driven. She found a partner and an official place to do business, opening her first downtown location in 1990.
Laurey's Catering and Gourmet-to-go is still humming right along. In her more than 20 years of being in business, Masterton hasn’t lost sight of her original goal.
"From the beginning, part of the mission has been to make and serve delicious food from local sources whenever possible. I work with 30 or so local farmers,” she says. "That's a way to be an active part of my community — to make sure that we have wonderful food from local people who are real people.”
Masterton's main mission in both business and life is to make a positive contribution to the community. "I don't necessarily have lots of money to give, but I have lots of energy and heart and spirit,” she says. “I think giving back fills your heart and soul.”
— Mackensy Lunsford
