Submitted photoMeridian native Betty Joyce "B.J." Chester-Tamayo, owner of Alcenia's in Memphis with her mother, Alcenia Clark Chester, who lives in Meridian.

It’s all about the way you treat people.

That’s what Meridian native Betty Joyce “B.J.” Chester-Tamayo, owner of Alcenia’s restaurant in Memphis says has been the key to her success – along with recipes handed down to her by her 96-year-old mom, Alcenia Clark Chester, who still resides in Meridian.

“I want people to feel better when they leave than when they came in – sugar plum memories,” Chester-Tamayo said. “Because I have love – everyone that walks through my door is family. That’s the way I was raised.

“I hug everyone just to let them know I appreciate them.”

When Chester-Tamayo opened Alcenia’s in Nov. of 1996, she had just lost her only son in an automobile accident. Needing to heal emotionally she turned to something dear to her heart – her family, especially her granddaughter Alcenia, who was born after her father’s, Chester-Tamayo’s son, death.

“I always knew I wanted to manufacture, and when I opened the restaurant I was just going to have preserves and have people play games,” Chester-Tamayo said. “But, when people came in they wanted to know where the chitlins, greens, yams, and pies were.”

Wanting to continue the legacy of all the great cooks in her family, and neighborhood where she grew up, in Meridian – Chester-Tamayo called her mom.

“A lot of times in our race, our recipes die with our ancestors, and I didn’t want that to happen,” Chester-Tamayo said. “I didn’t grow up cooking and never went to culinary school but every single recipe I use is mine or my mom’s – I don’t use anyone else’s.

Now 20 years later, Alcenia’s was recently featured in the July issue of Oprah magazine as the yummiest place to eat in Tennessee. The soul food spot noted as a vibrant and happy place, and depending on what day you go, has a different home cooked meal that will take you back to your grandma’s cooking.

Some of her customer’s favorites are smothered pork chops, fried green tomatoes, salmon croquettes, chicken and waffles, bread pudding, sweet potato cobbler, cornbread, apple butter – just to name a few. Plus, Chester-Tamayo’s famous ghetto-aid – which is Kool-Aid – a citrus and punch flavor that the college kids call “popsicle in a cup.”

“I consider my restaurant to be a mission from God because without him none of this would have ever happened,” Chester-Tamayo said. “It is a healing ground to bring people together from all over the world.

“My motto is – I feed the heart and the head. Because, if I feed your heart, I got your stomach.”

Alcenia’s has been featured on The Food Network’s, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and The Travel Channel. Also, check out Chester-Tamayo’s new cookbook Soul 2 Soul, contains three generations of recipes, traditions, and stories.

Alcenia’s is located at 317 N Main St., Memphis. On the web, visit alcenias.com.

Trip to Capitol

Students in the Camp Destiny Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Program of Meridian and chaperones visited the Capitol on  June 29, toured the building and learned details of its history and the legislative process.

Miss Hospitality

Emma Moffett will represent Meridian in the 68th Miss Hospitality Pageant on July 21-22 at the Historic Hattiesburg Saenger Theater.

Moffett is a highest honors graduate of Meridian Community College and was a Phi Theta Kappa officer, honors college member, Ivy League student recruiter, and received the Robert Cochran Memorial Scholarship. She will be a junior at Mississippi State University and will be majoring in English and public relations.

Cheryl Owens writes the Neighbors column for The Meridian Star. Submit items to cowens@themeridianstar.com.