Cooking from scratch: Jackson woman opens meal delivery business in her home

Standing in her commercial kitchen, surrounded by a heavy-duty oven, huge refrigerators and an assortment of cooking utensils, Barb Cagle fishes her homemade cinnamon rolls out of their metal tins to prepare for icing.

She apologizes for working around guests, and, with precision, she's prepares icing and smothers a dozen cinnamon rolls before the average baker could pop the seal on a store-bought can of Pillsbury dough.

After finishing her latest dessert, Cagle moves into her actual kitchen, which is connected to the commercial kitchen. With two steps, Cagle is able to separate herself from her workplace, which is what she prefers.

In early August, Cagle decided to open a food preparation and delivery service, which she named Barbie's Custom Bistro after her childhood nickname.

Cagle's been cooking her entire life, and her passion is evident when describing her latest endeavor. She and her husband renovated their home's garage last summer to give Cagle her dream.

Fresh cinnamon rolls from Barbie's Custom Bistro. (Laura Simon)

With the help of family and friends, they gutted the structure. After passing the necessary inspections, they opened their catering and delivery business inside their Jackson home. Looking at it now, one would never guess this spotless kitchen once housed the family's vehicles.

Cagle admits none of this would be possible without her husband, Greg, and without his support, her business would never have made it off the ground.

"[Greg] told me, 'If that's what you want to do, I am behind you 100 percent.' That was in May, and by Aug. 1, we were ready to go," Cagle said.

Cagle has been cooking for as long as she can remember, and it has always been a passion she's wanted to pursue.

"When I was a little girl, I always went to my grandmother's and I learned how to cook. I come from a huge family, and in the summertime I loved going to grandma's," she said. "I learned pies and pastries and everything from scratch. I didn't know any better than that, and I've always loved it."

Even now, Cagle uses her backyard garden to supply her with produce and her canning station in the basement to preserve whatever doesn't get used this season.

For years, Cagle worked for National Asset Recovery Services in Cape Girardeau. After the company's downsizing and eventual closure in 2013, Cagle saw an opportunity for a new adventure.

"This was the first time I was off in years, and it was really a blessing," Cagle said. "I was done, so it was time to re-create myself and what I was going to do."

Cagle began volunteering for the Jackson Senior Center by delivering meals. However, she soon realized she could do more.

Barbie's Custom Bistro advertises it will deliver to anyone -- to seniors who are unable to cook, to families who don't have time, to someone who doesn't feel like making dinner.

Cagle said hers is different from the average delivery service in that she takes an interest in her customers. Often they are friends or neighbors, and she makes a point to check in on them and make sure they're doing well, especially when it comes to the elderly.

"It makes your heart feel good. My parents have always been service-oriented people, and I'm the same way. My kids often don't like coming home because they know I've always got something for them to do," she said with a laugh.

In addition to her deliveries, Cagle fills specialty catering orders, and in the past has worked with food preparation classes as well as wedding planning and catering. When it comes to food, she's basically done it all.

Cagle's menu is online a month in advance, and orders must be placed the Saturday before delivery.

Cagle works Monday through Thursday delivering meals between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. and often wakes before the sun to ensure her meals are as fresh as possible.

The entrees rarely repeat, which Cagle credits to her mother-in-law, who, she claims, "puts Martha Stewart to shame." She provided Cagle with more than 180 recipes, which she is eager to try.

Meals cost $13 and come with a main course. One day featured salsa chicken, two sides, a bread and a dessert.

To learn more, call 587-2540, email barbiescustombistro@charter.net or visit the website at barbiescustombistro.com.

smaue@semissourian.com

388-3644