The Inspiration Behind Perfect Lu Paired
From the heart of Dr. Luronda Jennings (Chef Lu), Visionary, Culinary Artist, & Educator

It all started Christmas 2020, when I came up with the idea to host Christmas brunch for my family for the first time. On holidays my mother typically cooks for the entire family and traditionally the meal is an early dinner followed by card games. She’s been doing it for years and everyone loves her cooking. She usually assigns foods for me to prepare such as my macaroni and cheese, garlic and herb mashed potatoes, deep dish lasagna, or caramel chocolate cake. As we approached Christmas 2020, a shift happened in my mind…Other than Christmas being a special time to celebrate Jesus and loved ones, there’s something else special about this celebratory day that inspired me to host Christmas brunch…my mother’s birthday! Yes, she was born on Christmas Day. I felt like she needed to relax and enjoy her day instead of cooking in a kitchen all day. She likes to cook too so we decided to collaborate to make it even more special. Christmas morning I cooked a variety of quiche, creamy grits, smoked sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, and fried potatoes and onions. She made her homemade sausage and biscuits, homemade pigs in a blanket, salmon croquettes, and Hawaiian banana nut bread. I’ve enjoyed learning some of her recipes…such as the Hawaiian banana nut bread that’s one of Perfect Lu Paired signature sweet pairings. It brought me so much joy to prepare for the table, serve the table, and make memories at the table with my family. The first time my Daddy-O (who is now healed in Heaven) tasted my quiche and grits, he said, “Oh, Baby Girl this is the real deal!” My cousins and uncle said, “We need this type of breakfast and brunch year round.” It warmed my heart, in a very inspiring way, to see the people I love the most enjoying my culinary creations.

I began to think about my past culinary experiences - the food and beverage pairing events I hosted with a chef friend…the year I worked at a winery and had the best conversations with customers as I suggested food pairings…the catering events I worked…the charcuterie boards and meals I prepared for family and friends…the Chopped style fundraiser I hosted featuring local restaurant chefs and home cooks…the Chopped style challenge that I competed in and won…the times where I was teaching children how to cook recipes and when my mom was teaching me how to cook her recipes…and the lack of post secondary opportunities for adults with disabillities. I discovered on a deeper level that I truly love creating recipes, cooking and serving others, pairing food and beverages, planning culinary experiences, socializing with diverse populations, teaching the why behind creative choices, and helping others realize their puropse. 

In January 2021, I created a mind map for Perfect Lu Paired that included all of my ideas…pairing events, a cafe to employ underserved populations, menus with a variety of recipes for quiche, charcuterie, grits, and other brunch creations. I sat on all of this for nearly five years but the ideas never left my mind. During that time I still found joy in hosting Christmas brunch for my family and making charcuterie boards on the side for friends and colleagues.

I shared the vision with my Daddy-O and we talked through the possibilities. We shared some of the same gifts and passions to include cooking, serving, writing, teaching, and leading. He always encouraged me to seek God first (Matthew 6:33) and do what I feel God is calling me to do. January 25, 2025, he took his last breath on earth and soared peacefully into Heaven. In the most challenging season of my life, God showed me that He wanted to use my grief and gifts for His glory, in a different way. He called me out of painful comfort into peaceful faith, to start a new chapter where I’d have to surrender and rely solely on His instructions. I realized that supporting my Daddy-O through living without physical sight for two years, was being used to show me what it truly meant to have faith in what God places on your heart.

Perfect Lu Paired was birthed through grief, gratitude, grace, and God-given gifts. Our mission is to offer unique breakfast and brunch pairings, meaningful employment, and a community cafe that serves love, kindness, belonging, and hope...one plate and phase at a time!