Bring "Mables Kitchen" To Life

Hello my name is Clifford Claude Hobbs III. I am a 35 year old Chef originally from Des Moines Iowa now residing In the Lovely City of St. Ptereburg, Florida. I'm a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu of Austin, TX. I began my culinary career as an oyster shucker at Pesca on the River in San Antonio, Tx.  From Texas I made a move to Atlanta, Georgia. I  started making salads and desserts or as we say in the industry the "Garde Manger" station at Dolce Enotca one of the original fine dining restaurants In Atlantas famous Atlantic Station under James Beard winning Chef Don Diem.  After Dolce I began working Garde Manger at La pietra Cucina under the amazing Chef Bruce Logue (Bocco lupo). In 2008 I was welcomed in to the Fifth Group family. Fifth Group is one of the most clebebrated  resaturant groups in Atlanta today. With them I worked at Ecco, El Taco, Lure, South city kitchen and Fifth Groups catering company Bold American Events Under Chefs Micah Willox, David Bradley, Scott Keefer, Jack McGinn, Brandon Chavannes,  Tod Annis, Grey Wilson just to name a few. While at fifth group I honed my skills on the line doing prep, working Grade Manger station, grill station, Fry station, Saute station, catering action stations, Inside Expo, Expo, food running, and bussing. I was also Invited to assist the chefs in off site events such as the Atlanta food and Wine festival, The Taste of Atlanta, The Jewish film festival and with Bold catering I was a event Chef at The Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia . From Fifth Group I was the Sous Chef at 10th an Piedmont a Trendy lounge and restaurant right in the heart of midtown Atlanta, Ga under Chef Don Cherry. It is there where I perfected the art of working under extreme conditions with very few resources.  From 10th and Piedmont I became a Sous Chef for Aramark where I learned first hand the ins and outs of corporate food service. 








Enough about me. Lets get to the meat and potaotes!

While walking down Central ave. the main Street leading to downtown St. pete I stumbled across a bodega, parched, I decided to stop in and grab a drink to wet my whistle. As soon as I walked in I saw this cute little kitchen equipt with a fryer, flat top, salad cooler, press, 3 compartment sink, handwashing sink, 2 coolers, a freezer, prep table, pots, pans untenils, dry storage area and restroom. What I didn't see is anyone working the kitchen. I immediatly asked the owner about the space. He said he was looking for someone with talent to rent the space he had at a very reasonable rate turnkey ready. For many years he ran the kitchen himself but was having difficulty keeping up with the bodega and the restaurant so a few years ago he decided to rent it out but the past tenants were inexpreienced, unreliable, and disappointing. Many people I have worked along side may look at this space with distain, but when I looked all I saw was OPPURTUNITY!





I need your help! 
I would like to raise 5000.00 to help with the start up cost needed to get this quaint  togo restaurant off the ground. The costs include rent for the first 2 months, the purchase of Square for business a (pos system), Marketing and Sinage, The purchase of a used pressure fryer for our signature dish. The tentative start date is mid January offering only breakfast and lunch for the first 5 to 6 weeks giving me enough time to gain the trust of the guest and work out all the kinks.  Around the beginning of March is when dinner service will begin.

The Concept-

Ms. Mable's "Express" Kitchen, Southern street food!


 Ms. Mable's "Express" Kitchen, Southern street food!

Its only fitting that I dedicate my first concept to my best friend and grandmonther Ms. Mable Y. Hobbs.
Ms. Mables "Express" Kitchen offers Southern street food to ALL walks of life. We are open for breakfast from 7am-10a. lunch from 10-3 and dinner from 3-9  for togo food and delivery with the area.

 Breakfast Menu -

Chicken Biscuit- Southern style fried Chicken betwixt a homemade buscuit drizzled with sorghum honey
Big Fun- Chicken biscuit topped with applewood smoked bacon, sausage gravy, fried egg, and pimento cheese
Flip-  2  Corn Hoecakes, chioce of meat, 2 eggs any style and  Complete potatoes
Pure SIlk- Stone ground smoked gouda grits with cajun shrimp, peppers, scallions and tomatoes,
Duckys Cuban- Cuban bread with bbq pulled pork, 2 eggs any style and swjss and provolone, cheese pressed to perfection.
 
Sandwiches will come with a choice of fruit, grits,  Complete potatoes
There will also be "grab and go" sandwiches available for those who are running late for work and need something quick and delicious. Plus a few ala cart items

Our lunch /dinner menu- Guest will pick the protien and 1 side for lunch and 2 sides for dinner  with  Smoked gudha biscuit. you can add a drink of your choice for additional charge.

Protiens include-
Fried chicken- White or dark meat
Fried catch of the day with remy- White cornmeal bread fishwith house spices served with  remoulade
Hoe Cakes stuffed with pulled pork- 2 corn cakes w/ bbq pulled pork, Slaw and sorghum honey
Grilled pork Chops 2 grilled bone in chops dusted with house seasoning
Smoked Salmon-Hickory smoked Salon Filet
Special of the week- Different requested items not n the regular menu
Braised Oxtails- Not yet finalized
Breded wings- Korean bbq and Sweet chili teriyaki
Braised wings. Jerk and lemon pepper

Sides include-
Smoked mashed potatoes and gravy- Applewood smoked Mashed potatoes with Smoked turkey gravy
Collard greens- Braised collards with red onion, hot sauce, and feta cheese
Mac and cheese- baked mac and cheese with the crispy edges and creamy center.
fried green tomatoes- 3 fried green tomatoes. Sirachs aioli
Watermelon Salad- Wtermelon, mint, pickled apples, honey, Goat cheese???
kale Salad- Sambal sorghum vinigarette, plcked veggies,  candied nuts, feta
Veg of the day- Guest request not on the regular menu
House cut seasoned fries- Fries sprinkled with pork cracklin' dust

Desserts-
Peach Cobbler
Red velvet cake
Apple pie
Cookies
House made Ice cream

In the 70's and 80's back In Des Moines, Iowa My grandparents Mable Hobbs and Clifford Hobbs Sr. owned restaurants. Hobbs BBQ and Pasqualies pizza just to name a few. At the time I was either not born yet or too young to rememver. I do remember one time as a  little kid walking into the kitchen at Pasqualies Pizza buttering a pice of bred and putting it on the flat top while my grandmother asked " Booger what are you doin ( she called me booger) and I replied " making a grilled chesse" then she came in and help me finish it.


During that time our family was known for cooking great BBQ.  As they got older the industry became too much and they eventually made the decision to close but, they were always cooking up something delicious  at home for any family and friends that stopped by to enjoy. I would often ride around with my grandmother in her blue Caddillac as she visited different thrift stores, gragage sales and bakerys picking up day random items and day old bread to give to whatever freinds and family needed it. To some, the things we picked up were nothing but, to the people who recieved these things it was everything! Mable Hobbs always went out of her way to help all of those she knew. She was blessed with a few dollars and instead of keeping it for herslef she used it to help everyone she could. in 1999 one week before my 19th birthday my grandmother  Ms. Mable Hobbs Passed away. She never got the chance to see me in the kitchen or taste my cooking.




Ms. Mables "Express' Kitchen is my way of paying  homage to my  grandmother. Opening this restaurant will allow me to ressurect the Hobbs name and eventually make it household name known for great food, big fun, and unconditional love for people just like my grandmother. Ms. Mables"Express" Kitchen is  only be the beginning for me. From here I plan to acquire a food truck Ms. Mables "Mobile" Kitchen, Then a casaul reastaurant Ms. Mables Kitchen, and eventually make it a chain starting south here in florida and slowly working it's way all the way back up to home in Des Moines, Iowa.  I'll be starting this venture with the bare minimum. It'll be just me and one other  person but,  with my passion, talent and drive it won't take long before it grows in a booming business.

Why should you donate?
 Because I can't do it with out you! By making a donation you will play a huge part in building something from the ground up and watching it manafest into something magnificent. Ten years from now when you're eating in one of many Ms. Mables Kitchen locatins you will look up and see your picture and say "I was apart of this". Also, helping  a friend achieve their dreams is one of the most rewarding things you can do. I just need a little  puch from my friends and I'll do the rest.  Each donar will be forever embedded into the fabric of Ms. Mables "Express" Kitchen and will recieve a lifetime discount.





Over the past 10 years I've spent thousands of hours in kitchens helping to bring someone elses dream reality but now is the time for me to put in the work in order to make my own dream reality. Please help me bring my dream to Life Donate now! No donation too small or too large. I love yall

Clifford Claude Hobbs III