Lavinia McCoy started Gourmet Soul because the pieces fit together; the timing, the funding, and of course the love that goes into her cooking.

The catering and carryout spot in Downtown St. Louis offers up soul food with a twist.

It starts with family recipes and is carried out with the help of family, whether it’s mom stopping by or AJ Martin, her younger brother who helps run the restaurant. Soul food means a little something different for everyone, but for Lavinia, it’s all about love.

And helping spread the love around St. Louis is Frank Williamson, the organizer of Black Restaurant Week.

He joined us on the podcast with Gourmet Soul to talk about the week that is all about supporting Black-owned restaurants.

Gourmet Soul is one of the spots serving up specials on the week of October 31-November 7.

You can find all the restaurants and more details: https://www.facebook.com/stlblackrestaurantweek/