WJBF: Dinner Time with the Monroe FamilyWJBF: Dinner Time with the Monroe Family Introduction: WJBF welcomes Citroen Monroe, alongside his sons Ken and Dre, to discuss creating a family tradition through their food truck and catering business, Food Thyme. Inspiration for Cooking: Citroen Monroe’s passion for cooking began with his grandparents, who taught him the basics of preparing grits. Over time, he developed his culinary skills through experience in various restaurants. Ken’s Inspiration: Ken and Dre’s inspiration for cooking stemmed from observing their father’s exceptional culinary abilities. They witnessed the use of fresh ingredients and herbs, which ignited their desire to create their own culinary masterpieces. Origin of the Name “Food Thyme”: The name “Food Thyme” incorporates the element of herbs, specifically thyme, to represent the fresh and flavorful dishes they serve. It also evokes a sense of timeliness, suggesting that every moment is opportune for enjoying their food. Food Truck vs. Restaurant: The Monroe family opted for a food truck instead of a traditional restaurant due to its mobility and cost-effectiveness. As a “restaurant on wheels,” the food truck allows them to reach a wider customer base and adapt to different locations. Location Selection: Food Thyme’s locations are largely driven by customer demand. People contact the business through various channels and request their services at specific events or locations, enabling them to cater to various communities. Favorite Dishes: Ken’s favorite dish is the shrimp po’boy sliders, while his father, Lemon, prefers the salmon fillet. Both dishes showcase their use of fresh and flavorful ingredients. Conclusion: Food Thyme is a family-oriented business that combines passion for cooking with a desire to create a memorable dining experience for their customers. Their food truck has become a testament to their culinary skills and their commitment to bringing delicious meals to the community.
WJBF – It’s dinner time… literally Citroen Monroe and his sons, Ken and Drechat with WJBF about making time for food and creating a family tradition with their food truck and catering business, Food Thyme.
Thank you for being on Celebrating Black Excellence. Now, Lemont, you’ve been described as an impeccable chef. So, how did you get into cooking and what inspired your love for cooking?
Well, like a lot of people, they always start with your grandparents. You know, your grandparents taught you how to cook in a lot of ways. You go to their house and they taught me how to cook grits. I started with grits and just kept going and worked my way up from there. Then you get older and you grow up and you start working in different restaurants and different things and you just develop a love for cooking.
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Ken, what inspired you and your brother Dre to start cooking?
So, it’s generational. My dad cooked when we were young. He cooked gourmet meals. He cooked quick, fast meals. Just watching him in the kitchen, we could see different ingredients and be inspired by them, both with fresh herbs and just fresh ingredients. It made us want to go into the kitchen after watching him cook.
What inspired the name Food Thyme?
Well, my wife and I… we were thinking about names and trying to come up with something. It was a catchy name, but we also wanted to incorporate the herbs and things that we use in it. So we didn’t put the clock time in it. We put the word herb thyme in it, and that’s how the name came about.
Why did you decide to start a food truck instead of a traditional restaurant?
We now know that the food truck was trending and growing fast. We now know that the food truck can go anywhere and is a restaurant on wheels. So it was just a smart and quick thing to do because we were saving up and working towards a physical store. The food truck is exactly what we could do now and it’s fun. Everyone loves being on the food truck. It’s a great experience.
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How do you decide where to settle?
So, we have a lot of people coming and they call us. They book us, message us on Instagram and Facebook, they call the phone number, they text us, and they reach out and say, “Hey, can you come over here?” Then we look at our schedule, we book them, and we book them all season long.
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Speaking of books, how can people find out more about you if they want to know more about you, if they want to book you for catering or if they want to find their food truck?
They can go to foodthymefood.com and request information via the message under catering, or they can send a message to the phone number (706) 945-8001They can send a text message, or get in touch via Instagram or Facebook.
Lemont, how does it feel to have your family with you?
This is a family business. It starts with us and it goes down to my sons. My wife… she is the backbone of the business. She keeps us in line and she is willing to help in the morning with preparing the food. I also have my sons here with me and without this team that we have here, it wouldn’t be possible.
What is your favorite thing to make? And then what is the most popular thing that people want from you at Food Thyme?
Ken: The most popular is probably the salmon sliders. We are known for great salmon. It’s fresh and grilled and cooked to order. The salmon fillet is very popular and it comes with pan-herb shrimp. My favorite dish is probably, I would say, the shrimp po’boy sliders.
Lemon: My favorite dish…would probably be the salmon fillet.
For more information about Food Thyme, please visit www.foodthymefood.com or contact them at (706) 945-8001.
Videography by Gary Nipple
Music produced by Danny Ray Smith, Jr.
