About Us
ZENITH
HOUSTON
Summers in charleston
That’s my answer anytime people ask where I got my passion and love for cooking. It was there, during summers and holidays, that I would join my mother, grandmothers and aunts in the kitchen or on the front porch, helping prepare for Sunday dinner. They taught me how to pick and cut greens and shell peas for Hoppin’ John. Those Saturdays taught me the importance of a good meal and gave me a deep appreciation for family.
My father Frank Houston, a retired executive chef who has received several award recognitions started his culinary journey in Charleston and then moved on to Columbia, South Carolina where he would build several successful businesses including Houston’s Enterprise Catering, Houston’s Low Country Grill, and Funderburk’s. Over the years he prepared meals for four United States presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
My siblings, cousins and I literally learned on the job, doing everything from serving as sous chefs to executing elegant events for clients. Having the opportunity to watch and learn from my father ignited my passion for understanding how to infuse flavors, spices, and seasonings to create culinary experiences from Charleston low-country inspired dishes to those that transcend traditional recipes.
Those experiences made me who I am today. It’s where I got my love for entertaining and hosting parties and events. Creating culinary experiences by experimenting with new dishes and creating a twist on traditional dishes brings me pure joy.
BLYTHE KEELER
ROBINSON
MARY KEELER CATERING
That’s the name of the company my grandmother started in the early 1960s in New York. Over the years she did it all, catering large scale events, private events and dinner parties for clients that included celebrities, elected officials and Fortune 500 executives. My mother started working with my grandmother at the age of 15, and when I turned 15, I did the same. When people ask me about my first job, I tell them about the times I worked during Mary Keeler Catering parties.
I come from a family of cooking women – on both sides. My grandmothers, my mother and my aunts could throw down in the kitchen. Seeing them regularly create masterpieces for masses gave me a great appreciation for good food cooked with love. For me, that is soul food. And I will take a home cooked meal over eating out any day.
What’s changed over the years has been my transformation to a completely plant based diet. I made the decision for health reasons–not because I was sick, but because I knew eating certain foods like meat and dairy weren’t good for me. Eating healthy gave me an even greater appreciation for home cooked meals, allowing me to know what is in the food I eat while still carrying on the traditions the women in my family instilled in me.
I love to experiment and recreate some of my favorite dishes from growing up using whole and healthy foods. I love a challenge and can make [just about] anything in a plant based version that tastes delicious.