Kee Gainey spent 25 years as a stay-at-home mom before starting her culinary career.
“I decided it was time for me to get back out there and I was like, ‘Well, what can you do? No one is going to hire you after this long. You don’t have any experience,’” Gainey said. “And I was like, ‘Well, what can I do? You can cook? So I said, Well, I do need credentials, where can I go?’”
This self-appraisal led her to Second Harvest’s Culinary Training Program.
“I was highly blessed to be able to get into that program,” Gainey said. “They have these fabulous chefs. They teach you everything from A to Z. In my case, I already had experience. So it was a little bit easier for me than for some people, but it really was a great learning experience.”
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Gainey, a native Floridian, said she grew up learning to cook from her grandmother and mother. She took those lessons with her to Second Harvest.
Through the culinary training program, Gainey was able to find work at Nourish Coffee Bar + Kitchen, which features a scratch-made menu focused on nutritious foods.
“It’s been four years, this past October, and I love it there. It is a really great place to work. There are great people there,” she said.
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Gainey also started her own cottage business out of her home, Kitchen Arrabon.
“In the Greek, (Arrabon) means downpayment,” Gainey said. “I am a Christian. I read my scriptures every day and one morning in the devotionals this word ‘Arrabon’ (appeared) and I was like, ‘I like the way that sounds!’ And it was there, explained that it means downpayment. So I chose Arrabon because I considered at that moment, this would be the downpayment on my new life.”
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Gainey said the business has been a confidence booster for her.
“One of my secret issues is a low confidence level and when people enjoy my food, I do feel really good because that means that I did good because I didn’t really grow up with a lot of encouragement from the family that I had,” she said. “But I get it from other people and I’m growing in that area and I feel so blessed to be able to share my experience with others.”
On the latest episode of Florida Foodie, Gainey shows off some of the delectable treats she offers through her business. She also tells the story behind her first cake and how she made her way onto the podcast.
Florida Foodie is a podcast from WKMG and Graham Media that takes a closer look at what we eat, how we eat it and the impact that has on us here in Florida and for everyone, everywhere. Find new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.
You can watch Florida Foodie every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. on News 6 or anytime on News 6+.