photo by steed media service

Pan-seared sea scallops, sautéed Cajun catfish, and signature fried red tomatoes are just a few of the tantalizingly tasteful dishes you can savor at Loving Spoonful, one of metro Detroit’s premier African American-owned restaurants. Restaurateur and head chef Shawn Loving has taken his passion for everything culinary and poured it into his restaurant, which after six years has become one of the most highly reviewed eating establishments in southeastern Michigan. Although success is sweet, it didn’t come easily.

“The biggest challenge is to keep the customer base — not necessarily to provide good food — but can you provide that good food consistently to where [customers] always come back,” he explains. “It’s difficult because lots of times in the culinary profession, people [expect] that you’re only going to serve soul food [or they assume that soul food] is all that an African American chef knows how to prepare. It’s hard because no one else really has to go through that same criteria to get a balanced customer base.”

Loving has not let obstacles stop him from achieving his goals. In addition to maintaining his restaurant duties, he also serves as the first black department chair for the culinary department at Schoolcraft College.

Serving in these capacities and seeing the restaurant sign bearing his name welcome him every day makes all the hardships he’s faced worthwhile. “To own and open a restaurant,” he states, “you have to focus on standards [and] you have to focus on consistency.” –janaya black

For more information, visit www.lovingspoonful.com.

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