I Got You
She’s Got a Story: Courtney
Clad in her official Court’s Kitchen apron, Courtney Simpson’s beautiful smile and warm spirit fill up her catering kitchen. Her happy place.
Talking about how her family, specifically her husband, diy’d this space into the kitchen it is now, “100% family affair. This kitchen means so much to me. This little space. I am so happy when I come here. This means so much to me. I’m really proud of it.”
The mom of six knows what it means to cook for a big group of people. Two years into her charcuterie catering business, Court’s Kitchen continues to grow. Court humbly tells me that people love charcuterie, which is why the business is growing.
With a smile, I say, “It’s more than the catering, though. It’s you.”
“It is. It is one of the things I really pride myself on. I build a relationship with people when they call me. From start to finish, I want to basically take the worry off. Once you call me, and we have everything set up and we’ve agreed on a menu, don’t think about it again. I got it. I’ll be there. I got you. It's a lot of me into it. A lot of my heart into it,” Court says.
“What drives me? Honestly, right now, it’s my kids. Ryker’s (her son) schooling at Woodberry Forrest. I want to make sure he has the opportunities he is working so hard for. I also do appreciate that my kids see me as a businesswoman now. I think it’s really cool, because they are proud. I want to show them that this is a 40+ late-in-life decision to start a small business - right after a pandemic in an industry that everybody else is closing. In a small town. I want my kids to see this. And I want them to get all the experiences they can possibly have. The recognition from them means more to me than any award. It’s a cool feeling. I also have the most amazing husband in the world that supports every stupid idea I have.”
When I asked her to describe herself in one word, she said, “Generous. The way I would describe myself, and I hope people would think of when they think of me. I really want to be someone people know they can count on, and if they need something, I am the person they can call. If I have something I can do for somebody, then I'm all over it. That’s kind of my love language. I think that is why catering works so well for me because I like to cook for people, I like to feed people, I like to do for people, and catering just kinda fulfills that.”
She’s quick to say, “I got you. Whatever you need, I got you.”
To her clients, "I got you” means she’ll handle all the details for their special meal. To her friends, “I got you” means they can call her when they need something, and she will show up. To her family, “I got you” means she loves them fiercely and she’ll work hard to provide for their experiences and opportunities.
“I really have imposter syndrome sometimes. I feel like I am playing kitchen over here. I feel like I am a fraud. Someone will be like you’re a chef, and I’m like no I’m not a chef. I know how to organize things, I know how to make things pretty on a plate, and I know how to cook for a large crowd. I’m winging it over here, and most times it turns out okay.”
She’s not a fraud. She’s the real deal. Proud mama, loving wife, and badass businesswoman, Court shows up for her clients and her community. Her generous spirit appears in her Insta-worthy presentations, yummy food, and the loves she lavishes on everyone she meets.
Court’s commitment to her craft, community, clientele, and family is evident in everything she does. Our time together was bookended with talk of our children (we met as theater kid moms years ago), and I felt seen in our conversations. She wrapped me in love from the moment I entered the kitchen (and wanted to feed me!!). Finding a woman who is honest about her struggles, laughs at herself, and shares her heart inspires me. Honestly, it’s easy to adore her.
