Who We Are

Our Story

Thirty years of bold flavor, family recipes, and cooking that doesn't cut corners — served with a side of genuine hospitality.

Grandpa cooking Food platter
Est. 1994

Where It Started

Built on Real Food

It started in a backyard in Central Florida in 1994. Grandpa had a smoker, a few family recipes passed down from his grandmother, and a knack for feeding people until they couldn't move. Word spread fast. Neighbors became regulars. Regulars became fans.

By the late 1990s, friends and family were calling to have Grandpa cater their events — birthday parties, church cookouts, graduations, you name it. He never said no. He just showed up with more food than anyone could finish and a level of care that made every guest feel like family.

"If someone leaves the table still hungry, that's on me. That's never happened twice."

How It Became a Business

What started as a favor became a calling. In 2002, Grandpa's Kitchen was officially launched as a catering company — not because of a business plan, but because the demand made it impossible to keep it informal.

The rules have never changed: scratch-made everything, bold seasoning that doesn't apologize, fresh ingredients sourced locally when possible, and a team that treats your event like it's their own family gathering.

Today

With over 500 events catered across Central Florida — from intimate backyard dinners to 400-person corporate spreads — Grandpa's Kitchen is still run with the same principles it started with. The smoker still runs on weekends. The Mac & Cheese is still made the same way it was thirty years ago. And every event is treated like the most important one we've ever done.

See Our Packages →

What We Stand For

Our Values

🍳
Scratch-Made Always

No shortcuts. No prepackaged sauces. Every side dish, every marinade, every recipe is made from scratch on the day of your event. You can taste the difference.

👑
Your Event, Our Standard

Whether you're feeding 20 people or 500, every single guest gets the same quality. We don't have a "good enough" setting — only our best.

🤝
Family First

We treat every event like a family gathering — because that's how this business started. Your guests will feel it the moment the food hits the table.

How We Got Here

The Journey

1994
The First Backyard Cookout

Grandpa fires up the smoker for the first neighborhood cookout. The ribs sell out in 45 minutes. People start asking when the next one is.

1998
Word Gets Out

Church cookouts, graduation parties, family reunions — the phone starts ringing and doesn't stop. Grandpa starts buying a second smoker.

2002
Grandpa's Kitchen Is Born

The business is officially established in Deltona, FL. The mission: real food, bold flavor, zero shortcuts. Same as always.

2010
Corporate Events & Expansion

First major corporate catering contract. The team grows. New packages are introduced. The Mac & Cheese becomes a legend in its own right.

2018
500th Event Milestone

Five hundred events catered across Central Florida. Grandpa still personally oversees every menu. Not a single recipe has been simplified.

Today
Still Cooking Bold

Grandpa's Kitchen continues to serve Central Florida with the same passion that started it all. Same smoker. Same recipes. Same standard.

The Team

The Face Behind the Food

Chef preparing food
Chef Grandpa
Founder & Head Chef

Thirty years at the smoker. Zero apologies. Grandpa personally oversees every event menu, approves every catering order, and still shows up to the big cookouts in person.

His philosophy: if it's worth eating, it's worth doing right. That means proper prep time, the right wood in the smoker, fresh sides made that morning, and a team that takes pride in every plate.

"The day I start cutting corners is the day I hang up the tongs. That day hasn't come yet."

Hungry to Work Together?
Book Your Event →