Today we’d like to introduce you to Rose Anne Meagher.
Hi Rose, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We moved here in 2016 from MA to be close to my daughter and her family. What a culture shock! My background is in IT and Marketing. However, I’ve always had a passion for cooking and took culinary courses here and there. My father was a chef and he always sequestered me to help him in the kitchen ever since I can remember (around 5 years old). He was an inspiration, a very kind and patient man who shared with me his secrets about his wonderful, unforgettable dishes. I had a small catering business in MA but I was only cooking for friends and acquaintances.
When we moved to SC, I decided to do full-time catering. I started doing tents in Farmer’s Markets around the area. I then got a contract to do a concession stand at the North Charleston Coliseum and did it for a few years while still doing catering. During COVID, the world stood still and the coliseum was shut down. I decided to cook and prep food for my neighbors and branched out to the neighboring communities. That was quite a success and I managed to save up some money to buy a food truck. I decided to serve authentic Filipino food as I felt that there were no authentic Filipino restaurants around.
We feature everyone’s favorite lumpia, savory pork and chicken adobo, flavorful Pancit Noodles, mouth-watering crispy pork belly, delicious tomato garlic butter rice, tasty and flaky beef empanadas, award-winning Pongu (cream cheese with pineapple rolled in sugar and cinnamon) lumpia, yummy pork and chicken honey skewer and many more! The business is thriving and people have embraced the unique taste of Filipino food. Everything is fresh and nothing is frozen. Gluten-free, Vegetarian, and Vegan are also some of the options. I just wish I could have done this years ago. It’s the hardest job I’ve ever done but the most satisfying!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The struggles are real! lol Doing business in SC is overwhelming. Different towns and counties have different requirements, permits, licenses, etc. As a new entrepreneur in this state, the regulations are daunting, to say the least. I just wish they have a simpler process or a one-stop shop to get information on how to start a food business in SC, as a whole. I’m still learning the ropes.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As I stated on the previous page, I own a food truck and offer catering and personal chef services. I specialize in authentic Filipino food. I make everything from scratch, nothing is frozen. I love my food but I love my customers. I love interacting with them especially if they have specific questions about my food or seeing their great reaction after tasting my food. I offer healthier options, which sets our food apart, I try to change up the menu so I can introduce something that most people haven’t tasted, like my version of Pongu.
I won second place at the Spring Roll competition this year held at Firefly in Charleston. Slowly but surely, people are noticing the taste of Filipino food. As much as I love my food truck, my favorite is Personal Chef Services. I bring everything but the sink to a client’s house and cook their food in their own kitchen. I get to show off my culinary talent, cooking anything the client wants. The interaction I get from my clients and their guests is priceless.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learned that even though we were in a crisis and everything was shut down, we can never lose hope. We have to learn to reinvent ourselves to survive, to help ourselves and others.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Roe Roe’s Catering
