Meet Jackie Gregory

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Gregory.

Hi Jackie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When my husband Donnie and I first married, I was 19 years old, he was 20. My cooking skills were nonexistent! One of the first significant meals that I made for him was to announce that I was pregnant 2 months later. I started crying half way through our meal when he asked why we were having oatmeal for dinner and I replied “it isn’t oatmeal, it’s gravy”. Here we are almost 40 years later with 5 children, 3 of those married, 6 grandchildren, and more on the way. Much of our time together is spent around the table. It is one of my most favorite places to gather. I love the sound of dishes being passed, silverware clicking on the plates and several conversations going on at once…The table is where I am able to serve and nurture those I love, whether it’s family or friends. It’s actually a very intimate thing to share a meal together! That love for food… preparing it, sharing it, enjoying it… is what has led us to do what we do… We are a family owned and operated business. My husband Don, myself and our son Tanner are the 3 main players of our business. Each one of us carry an aspect of our company that I believe is essential. Our youngest daughter Adrianna works on weekends as she finishes her degree at Belmont.

Our shop Simply Living Life will celebrate our 10 year anniversary on March 14th of this year. This space is the hub of our company. Here you can find Don daily, cooking, tending shop and interacting with our customers who are more like family. We have a commissary kitchen and office up the road to use for catering, wine pairing menus and day to day running of our corporation. Tanner is there daily in his office running the business side of our company as well as preparing creations for Arrington Vineyards wine pairings. Our company has partnered with Arrington Vineyards for over 13 years serving food onsite, delivering gourmet picnic baskets for lunch and dinner and preparing bite-sized pairings for their premier wine pairings. My role is to be onsite at Arrington Vineyards on weekends in season and I handle our catering division.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We have a saying in our industry that says ” the food business is not for sissys” It is a business that you have to love in order to have longevity…. because you will almost always hit bumps in the road… Covid threw a whole other wrench in the basket and hit our industry really hard… There have been many lessons learned along the way. A definite benefit of being a small business that is owner operated is the ability to be flexible. That was certainly the case with the pandemic… Our main goal was deciding how we could adjust and accommodate to continue to safely serve our customers. We offered delivery & curbside service from our shop when things were shut down and served guests safely outside at Arrington Vineyards when people were allowed to gather again.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We provide freshly prepared food from our shop for delivery, dine in or carry out, We have salads and sides by the pound such as chicken salad, pasta salad, kale salad, greek slaw & more. We offer items for entertaining such a dips, crackers, jams and spreads. We have unique gift and specialty items, to bring home or pick up for a friend. We also have yummy desserts such as cakes, brownies, bars and our famous jumbo Oatmeal Chocolate Chip or Raisin cookies, made with honey & brown sugar. We provide casseroles and entrees to take home and warm yourself. Those include Poppyseed chicken, meatloaf, chicken enchiladas, peppered pork loin, lasagna & more. Our case also brims over with parmesan Tilapia, stuffed peppers, tamales and our famous Pimento Cheese that’s been listed in Micheal Stern’s book 500 things to eat before it’s too late. We also offer a service called STOCK THE FRIDGE, which offers 3 different options for food delivery packages. This could be for a single day or a week’s worth of food delivered to your door. It’s great for new parents, recovering patients, elderly parents or we even have realtors that purchase it for their clients after they close on their home. Our company has partnered with Arrington Vineyards for over 13 years serving food onsite and preparing bite-sized pairings for their premier wine pairings. We have 3 units set up onsite at Arrington Vineyards. Our COTTAGE which prepares flatbreads, charcuterie boards, cheese plates & seasonal specialties. The DERBY which serves premium coffees and desserts, and our RUSTIC GRILL at the Barn side serving grilled bologna sandwiches, barbeque plates, nachos & more. We also deliver gourmet picnic baskets for lunch & dinner to Arrington Vineyards. Those picnics can be as simple as olives & cheese and as elaborate as filet mignon with a fresh bouquet of flowers.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Sobremesa is one of my favorite words… It’s a Spanish word that means Lingering at the table. It’s the difference between eating just to get nourishment and eating as a way of engaging with those around you. Every aspect of our Business is about engaging with those around us, and about helping our customers have great food to engage with those around their own tables. We have a saying that we repeat often, “It takes more than good food to make a great meal”. Good food is certainly important… but how it’s presented, the setting it’s enjoyed in and of course the people you are sharing it with… all of those elements contribute to creating a great meal.

For me, the biggest lesson would be to always remember that the food is not the focus… rather the people who will be enjoying the food are the focus… Every herb and glaze and finish we place on a recipe isn’t just about making us look good, it’s to help create a memorable meal for you and those you love.

Pricing:

• $5/up in store
• $4/up at Arrington Vineyards mobile units
• $30/person picnic baskets delivered to Vineyard

Contact Info:

• Website: simply-living-life.com

Image Credits:
Simply Living Life