Meet Ritamae Tennyson | Executive Director & Executive Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ritamae Tennyson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ritamae, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Although I started my career in the healthcare industry for over 30 years now. It started as me working in a locally famous mom and pop restaurant in Coral Gables. There, I learned the value of community, communication, and prioritization. After committing the majority of my life towards this place, I decided that it was time for me to focus on myself and do what makes me happy, which was making people happy through my love of cooking. I had a passion for planning and putting events together and whipping up amazing dishes that people always rave about. R Catering and Events started as a simple thought, but it has grown to ways I could only have imagined. I began doing simple platters for clients, then one thing turned into another. I am where I am today because of the endless support that I receive from my clients and the amazing referrals they send my way.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
R Catering & Events is more than just a local catering company. We are a family owned and operated business who prides ourselves on the basis of loyalty, integrity, and more importantly, dependability. What makes us special is we are more than a local business, we become a family when it comes to our clients. The clients we have, have been using our services for years and our community just keeps on growing. Being dependable is something that I am most proud of with my company. When we give our clients the respect that they deserve, the energy is always reciprocated better than ever. It’s the little things like honor and respect that makes a big difference and takes us a long way. Getting where I am today took a lot of long hours and sleepless nights. I started the business process slowly; managing the restaurant where I worked at during the day, and doing my catering after hours, while taking Catering and Event Planning courses at MDC. I was a single mother with two amazing kids, and I still made it work. Handwork soon paid off once I started getting referrals from friends and customers. From doing small cocktail house parties to entering the Food Network SOBEWFF Burger Bash and taking home the Judge’s Choice trophy. I like to tell myself no event is too small because one event has the potential to lead us into so much more.
Along the way, I’ve learned countless exemplary lessons that I still use as a principal guide for my life. Be patient, stay focus, and be optimistic. Being my own boss has showed me I can do anything I want and I have the power to make it happen.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to go to different restaurants and I am open to trying new things. Because this is Miami and there are too many restaurants to choose from I would first take them to Miami Beach to kick off the trip- the vibe is always right. From there, since we are already on Miami Beach, I would take them on a stroll down Ocean Drive and hopefully get a spot on the beach and watch all the shows that Miami Beach has to offer. To close off the day, I would visit the Frost Science and Art museum and see and learn about all the amazing exhibits and collections. The next day I would take them throughout Midtown and Wynwood and let them experience the local artists and amazing restaurants that screams Miami culture. It’s not a day in Miami without stopping by a cafecito window and enjoying a delicious colada or cafe con leche- this will be a daily thing for us. In our week long trip of galavanting, I will make sure they walk down Miracle Mile and take the trolley to Coral Gables trendiest restaurants, my favorite being Historic Biltmore hotel. For shopping, Merrick Park will be perfect. To close out the week, drinks at a rooftop at Juvia that outlines Miami Beach amazing view will end the trip perfectly.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout to my daughter, Saesha Tennyson. She has portrayed a tremendous and pivotal role in the start-up of R Catering & Events. She not only helps me run the business, but she acts as my business partner in any decision making that I do. As much as I raised and thought her things, she has also raised and thought me things and together we make the best team. As a mother-daughter duo in the industry, we are working hard to break barriers and invoke generational prosperity.

Website: https://www.rcateringandeventplanning.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rcateringandevents/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RCateringandeventplanning/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/r-catering-and-events-miami

Image Credits
Corey Tennyson, Saesha Tennyson, Ritamae Tennyson, Lee Schrager, Chef Jose Andres,