‘Curly Girl Cooking’ Teaches Young Creators Entrepreneurship And Culture

Born from a loving father’s idea, Curly Girl Cooking was designed by Hershel Shoats for his two girls to participate and take ownership of their own meal-service business.

During the wake of the global pandemic, Jessica and Hershel Shoats were among many parents who made the decision to home-school their children. They continued to look for new innovative ways to teach their children about the world. Hershel Shoats believed he could create a business with his daughters, 8-year-old Graysen and 7-year-old Avery, so they could advance their education and apply it to a real life business.

In June 2020, the trio created the meal-service business that prepares a variety of food selections for their local Corpus Christi community.

From entrepreneurship to the culinary arts, education wasn’t the only significant drive for the creation of the company. The girls’ father had hoped this business would help instill pride in themselves and to further embrace their culture.

“Their hair, when I teach my girls when they go and see the big mother tree out there, that is a direct reflection of them,” said Hershel, KRIS 6 News reports.

“There is a lot of energy going through those curls.”

“Every time we are wearing our Afro, it’s a crown,” said the girls. “We don’t need a princess crown — we already have our own Afro crown.”

Graysen and Avery offer meal-prepped foods, every Wednesday, that speak directly to their culture and aim to cultivate relationships through food. Whether its Cajun food or vegan, the menu items include Caribbean jerk chicken, Jamaican chicken curry, jambalaya, creme brulée and more.

According to the Corpus Christi Black Chamber of Commerce, there are more than 75 Black-owned businesses. Of that number, more than 50% are owned by women. The sisters are now part of that community.

Jessica Shoats shares that she hopes the girls continue to inspire others in the community.

“It means to me that I have done a great job in my history and my businesses, so I have been doing good. You… can inspire the world by doing just one small thing. You can make it bigger and inspire the whole world,” said Graysen.