Narvell Patton

Written by Nina E. Woody
Photo by Steve Babin
Photo by Sarah Belanger

Narvell Patton is a self-professed Southern girl who inherited her love of cooking from her mother. In business for over 20 years, Catering by Narvell specializes in delicious fare from down-home Southern food to elegant hors d’oeuvres. Look for Narvell’s entrees-to-go every Tuesday at Walker’s Market in Five Points.

EVENT: How did you decide to get into the catering business?

NP: I liked to cook from a very early age. My parents worked in the fields, and I’d have my younger sister with me. I was in the kitchen with Mom all the time. One day I decided [at the age of 7] I was going to make dinner. I prepared what I called my mother’s favorite: always comfort food. I fixed smothered chicken, stewed new potatoes and cornbread.

EVENT: You were only 7 years old! What did your mother think about that?

NP: Mother was surprised and happy, complimentary, and very encouraging. My goal was to grow up and get married, and imitate my mother. It sticks in my mind that mother said always to do your best.

EVENT: What kind of events do you like to cater?

NP: I cater corporate events, private parties, weddings, lunches, birthday dinners, cocktail parties… I like private events because I like to give one-on-one service. I also like to do weddings because everyone is so happy. The largest wedding I ever catered was about 700 people.

EVENT: What is your recipe for success?

NP: My goal is to prepare food the day of an event. I grew up having fresh food every day, and that’s what I like to use in my business. My parents were sharecroppers and raised everything – pigs, cows, chickens, as well as a garden. I cherish and respect that, and clients respect that too. I get up early and go to the grocery store every day. I get to my catering studio between 7:30 and 8 a.m. and don’t leave until 5 p.m. I don’t feel like it’s work if you’re having fun.

EVENT: Do clients tell you what kind of food they want or a theme for their event?

NP: I don’t really do themes, but I like it when clients have an opinion about what they want. But I’ve learned that number one: I’m a southern girl who grew up in the country, but I’ve also learned to cook a variety of foods. I have about ten jillion cookbooks! I like to read, so I read a lot of recipes, but then I like to make them my own.

EVENT: How many events do you believe you’ve done over the last 20 years you’ve been in business?

NP: Oh, too many to even count, but hardly a week goes by that I don’t have some kind of event! I like to be busy and fulfill my engagements. For example, there was a fire this last year in my catering kitchen. A week later was a cocktail party for 450 to 500 people. I prayed and prayed for a solution, and with friends, found a commissary kitchen to cook in, and we pulled it off! Mom always taught me to treat people right, do your best, and to love people because you never know when you have to ask for help. I came face to face with mother’s teaching when the fire happened. I received a lot of help from my family and close friends, and with that help, it took only two months to get back into my catering kitchen. It could have been much longer.

EVENT: You’re a life-long resident of Huntsville. What do you think about the changes to Huntsville over the years?

NP: When I was growing up, it was a lot more rural, and the county seemed separated from the city. When my parents said “we’re going to town” that was a big deal! The connection between county and city has grown tremendously. It has changed the way we lived and thought. The best part of the growth has been the opening of jobs and economic development.

EVENT: What did it mean for you to win the 2017 Small Business Award in the Culinary category?

NP: I am still in awe about that award because when I was contacted that I’d been nominated, I could not imagine it was a possibility. I describe myself as a behind-the-scenes person. I just want people to be happy. I felt [winning the award] was God’s way of allowing me to believe that hard work and loyalty pays off. It was the most humbling experience of my life, and I will always cherish it!

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