Down Home and Delicious

Mama Dip's Philosophy
The idea of the restaurant or table as the new community center is definitely evident here. This is a place where you talk about things--life, love, forgiveness, and family--and this is what Mama wants to talk about. "People come to my restaurant," she says, "to fight loneliness." Mama makes it a point to talk with her 40 employees and her customers, even about the most mundane things. "The restaurant pays my bills," she says, "but more importantly, gives the comfort of human relationships."

Feel-Good Food
Mama's customers are loyal and many. They come for her trademark comfort cooking. One regular, Miss Edith, often orders the same thing four or five times a week. The menu, which includes fried chicken livers, corn pudding, stewed tomatoes, and chicken and dumplings, hasn't changed much in years. It doesn't really differ from what Mama Dip liked as a child. "Nobody taught me to cook," she says. "I just wanted to do it. And that's all it takes." Mama emphasizes the importance of listening to our children. "Not everyone can cook or be a doctor. There are wonderful jobs in between these two extremes. We need to ask children what they want and let them find the unique aspect of his or her talent. A child can feel inside what he wants to be. When I was 3, I knew I wanted to cook."