Today we’d like to introduce you to Chef Shan.
Hi Chef Shan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
After being laid off from two IT Analyst positions in three years, fourteen years at Verizon before the IT department downsized, then three years at Leidos ended by government budget cuts, I wondered if I should continue on a path of constant shakeups or venture into something new. I asked myself the questions so many women ask at some point: What do you love to do? What brings you joy? What is next for your life?
Cooking was the first thing that came to mind. My grandmother, Mabel Lee Jones, was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and moved to Baltimore, where she became a pillar of her community. From Park Heights and Sumter to St. Regis in Cedonia, her home was always the meeting place for great conversation and great food. No matter how many people arrived, it was always enough. I grew up watching her in action, and when she moved back to Baton Rouge on Polk Street, I witnessed that same giving nature during the summers I spent with her. “Good food brings people together,” she would say. Or, “The kids down the street, their mother is not doing well, so I feed them.” No matter who popped up unannounced, it was always enough.
In that nostalgic moment, I knew the food industry would be my next stop on the train of life. In July 2022, I launched Mabel’s Food Truck, serving the food I ate in my household every day growing up: Authentic Louisiana Cooking, but my version, with a twist. After only one year, Mabel’s had taken Baltimore by storm. At the height of that success, in August 2023, I moved to Houston, Texas, and Houstonians embraced Mabel’s with open arms. But in both cities, one thing kept happening. People could not stop talking about the sauce. The sauce that turned a classic po’boy into something unforgettable. The drizzle that made our crawfish fries disappear in minutes. The flavor that had people licking their fingers and asking, “What IS that sauce? I need to take some home.”
That was my sign to bet on myself again and pivot into an unfamiliar space as a Sauce Maker. Mabel Sauce is more than a sauce to me. It is proof that the thing you make with love can become something bigger. My goal is for every bottle to bring people back to the table, laughing and enjoying home-cooked meals with great conversation, just like my grandmother did back in the day.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road, and I would not trade the lessons learned for anything. The journey started with loss: two layoffs in three years after a long corporate career. Rebuilding your identity outside of a job title is a struggle nobody prepares you for.
Then came the doubters. When I introduced Authentic Louisiana Cooking with a dairy-free twist, some people thought it was crazy. Creole food is supposed to be loaded with butter, cream, and all the things. I thought differently. I started my vegan journey in 2016 and moved to a pescatarian lifestyle a year later, so I knew the struggle firsthand: eating out, trying to be social, and the only option being a salad. Back then, most places cooked fries in the same grease as everything else, or served Brussels sprouts in bacon grease. I built the menu for foodies like me, and I had to trust that they existed even when others could not see them.
The move to Houston tested me again. Permits and licensing took much longer than expected, and there were months where I had to stay patient and keep believing while the business sat still. Now, pivoting from a thriving food truck into sauce production means starting over in an unfamiliar space one more time. Every chapter has required me to bet on myself before I had proof it would work.This pivot is no different. I am pouring everything Mabel’s has earned back into this new venture, betting the success of the truck on the future of the sauce. That is not a light decision, but my grandmother did not build her table halfway, and neither will I.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am now a Sauce Maker. However, Mabel’s built its name on oversized po’boys, crawfish fries, dairy-free roux, dairy-free sauces, Portobello mushroom burgers, vegan sweet potato biscuits, shrimp jambalaya with no andouille sausage, and meatless red beans and rice that make people say, “I can’t believe it’s no meat in these red beans.” Running through all of it was Mabel Sauce, the flavor people kept asking to take home, which is now the heart of this next chapter.
I am most proud of our grassroots impact. Mabel has had the honor of cooking for the Houston Rockets, and Kevin Durant said he loved the shrimp po’boy and that the mac and cheese reminded him of back home. That day my son met his favorite basketball player, and the pure joy on his face is something I will never forget. We also served Vince Young, who shared that his sister sent him our way. My deepest pride, though, is the community. We have had supporters from New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, and of course Baltimore. Our success has come from referrals, word of mouth, and steadfast support. The restaurant business is unpredictable, and that is why community support of small businesses matters so much.
What sets Mabel’s apart is quality. Our motto says it all: Great Food, Great Service = Great Culture.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The easiest way to support Mabel’s is to grab a bottle. Our supporters can now make their own po’boys and crawfish fries at home and never have to ask for extra sauce again. We ship nationwide. No preservatives. Dairy-free. Soy-free. Just clean, bold Louisiana flavor, perfect for dipping, drizzling, spreading, marinating, or dressing a salad.
Mabel’s is also open for business beyond the bottle. We welcome wholesale accounts, retail partnerships, and collaborations with other food brands who share our love for bold flavor and community. If you are a buyer, retailer, or fellow founder, reach out through bmoremabel.com or mabelsauce.com. Follow us on Instagram @bmoremabel, and share Mabel’s with someone who loves great food.
Contact Info:
- Website: mabelsauce.com and bmoremabel.com
- Instagram: @bmoremabel
