Pastor James Williams Preaches Heavenly Taste

Owner of Heavenly Catering, Pastor James Williams showed off a heavenly smile.

By LaDarius Calhoun
Outlook Writer

A dream and a vision were all the ingredients Pastor James Williams needed to create Heavenly Catering.

 
At the age of 12, Williams had a dream that he would be this great chef and own a restaurant. As a child, he expressed his dream to his grandmother and she simply told him to “follow your dreams.”

 
Shortly after, Williams went to get a job in a pizzeria where he worked in the kitchen. He thought he had landed a full-time job, but he was only hired to pick up temporary slack of a sick pot-washer.

 
Never losing sight of his dream to become a great chef, Williams continued to pursue restaurant work. After leaving the pizzeria, he then went to get a job at a steak house where he washed pots so well, he quickly became a busboy. After being a busboy for almost two years he was promoted to the kitchen.

Sweet Tea and Rattler Punch are the restuarants most popular beverage.

Williams spent two days in the kitchen only to burn shrimp and be yelled at by the chef. He quit that same day. A day later he returned to the restaurant where he met with the owner and chef–he had no idea what was to come next.

 
There was something special about Williams and the chef knew it. He wanted to teach Williams the ropes of becoming a chef. Ever since then, Williams has been right where he has always dreamed of being, in the kitchen.

 
Years after working in restaurants throughout Florida, Williams would be called to his destiny.

 
In 1999, he founded Heavenly Catering and his dream of owning his own restaurant began to come to fruition.

 
Heavenly Catering began as a small catering business that has transformed into one of Tallahassee’s ‘go-to’ family-owned restaurants for students and the community.
Williams said that God gave him a unique ability and that’s just where the name ‘Heavenly Catering’ came from.

 
“I decided to call it Heavenly Catering because He gave me the ability to prepare heavenly food and heavenly manner with a heavenly taste,” said Williams.
If one were to ever work at Heavenly Catering, expect joy, spiritual growth and to be a part of a new family.

 
Lisi Emlett, long-time employee at Heavenly Catering, said being at the restaurant is like being at “big mama’s house.”

 
“It’s like being at big mama’s house with your dad, mom, siblings and a couple of cousins,” said Emlett.

 
Heavenly Catering is dedicated to giving back to the community.

 
Williams describes giving back to the community through service and employment as the ‘greatest achievement’ of it all.

 
“A lot of people that I have working for us, are people that probably wouldn’t get a second chance somewhere else. But God has allowed us to be able to provide jobs for those people and that’s the greatest achievement of it all,” said Williams.

 
Every good restaurant has a secret ingredient and Williams shared his heavenly secret with Capital Outlook.

 
“The main ingredient in our food is love. Know that we stir love up in our food,” said Williams.