12 Questions with Humble Hearts

August 8, 2023 3 min read

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Whether you have an upcoming event to host or not, Humble Hearts, a catering company that offers amazing culinary experiences, will inspire you to find a reason to throw the party of the century. Alicia Boyd, owner and chef of Humble Hearts, answered 12 questions about her journey that will leave you hungry for more.

Let’s dig right in, shall we?

1. What is Humble Hearts and how did you get the idea?

Having my own business has always been my dream. Specifically, since I was young my goal was to become a chef. I often cooked by my grandmother's, aunt's and mom's sides, and I fell in love with being able to be so creative with food. My family's home felt so warm, full and fun, and I wanted to create that for others. Thus, Humble Hearts Catering & Events was born. We're a boutique company that offers superior off-site catering services for intimate to mid-sized events in Maryland's Upper Eastern Shore and surrounding areas. But hey, we'll travel farther than Maryland if the job is right!

2. What kind of events do you serve?

Our main focuses are weddings, social and corporate events. Boxed lunches, baby showers, bridal showers, dinner parties – we love nothing more than making our clients' event dreams come true!

3. Tell us a bit about your team.

We started with a team of two and have grown into a team with nine part-time employees. They are so talented, and each brings their own diverse skill set and flare to our table. Humble Hearts certainly wouldn't be as special or successful without them.

4. Okay, we’re planning a party, what is the must-have Humble Hearts dish?

Hitting us with the tough questions now! Everyone loves our cranberry jerk chicken salad, Little Creek crab dip and guava BBQ meatballs. And of course, living in Maryland, you gotta have great crab cakes!

5. What’s your favorite time of year for your business and why?

We love September through December because people are in the jolly party mood and the weather is beautiful for events – not too hot, not too cold. We really love any time of year that we're catering a special celebration though. It might sound cheesy, but it's true!

6. What’s the secret to pulling off the party of the year?

We always want our clients to feel welcomed and cared for. We start with thoughtful listening, and then we get to work creating a very intentional culinary experience that highlights the uniqueness and style of the client. You can never go wrong with open, clear and kind communication.

7. What has been your favorite event you’ve catered for, and what would you love to cater down the road?

Our favorite yet most challenging event was a completely vegan wedding for 100 guests. It really pushed our creative envelope and to hear that so many guests enjoyed the experience made it really worthwhile.

When it comes to an event that we'd love to cater down the road, a boat party is definitely on our list. Being out on the water would pair so well with all our seafood favorites!

8. What’s your favorite thing about owning a small business?

We get to make our mark on our community and the world, our way. We can be our unique and authentic selves, and we can create services that fully embody our personalities and styles while getting to do things we love.

9. To the dreamers out there thinking of opening a business, what would you tell them?

Dream big but make sure you have wise people around you. We have been able to make it this far into our business because of the group of wise advisors that we have set around us. You don't know everything, and that wisdom can help you break through barriers in your way.

Lean into your community. Ours is a whole tribe. People have supported us in every aspect of our business from social media, recommending our services, business guidance and much more. We’ve also partnered with other local “friendors” for community events like fundraisers and showcases. If you support your community, it will support you.

10. How do you measure the success of your small business?

We measure the success of our business by our resiliency. Owning a small business can be very hard. For me, this business has always been a journey of changes, growth and lessons.

The unexpected can happen at any time and it takes a lot of courage at times. It's not always an easy journey, but I have come to find that it is a worthy one.

11. What are you looking forward to for the future of your small business?

We are looking forward to the day when our full vision for Humble Hearts is brought to fruition! A major component of that vision is the acquisition of our own space. With this space, we will be able to welcome clients and their guests into "our home" as they gather to celebrate life's special moments.

12. If you could tell the readers one thing about Humble Hearts, what would it be?

It all starts with a conversation. We would love to welcome you to the Humble Hearts family and extend to you the opportunity to savor the Humble Hearts experience for your next event!

Okay, who’s ready to party?! Humble Hearts is located in Centreville, MD, and hopefully will have an event space soon! Check them out at humbleheartsevents.com, and if you end up using Humble Hearts for an upcoming party, send us an invite! We make for a really fun plus one!