Meet Debbie

The heart behind The Shared Spatula.

Food is more than something we eat. It is family, connection, comfort, and one of the simplest ways to say, “Come in. Sit down. You're welcome here.”

Some of Debbie's fondest memories have always been connected to a kitchen and a table. There is something special about preparing food for the people you care about, hearing laughter from the next room, sharing stories while something simmers, passing dishes around, and watching people enjoy something you created with your own hands.

To Debbie, that is hospitality. It is not about having the fanciest table or serving the most complicated dish. It is about making people feel cared for, creating a place where they can relax, enjoy one another, and make memories. It is about putting a little of yourself into the food and giving people something that feels like home.

That is what she wanted The Shared Spatula to become. Whether she is preparing a meal for a family, creating food for a celebration, catering an event, or helping someone bring a special meal to their table, the goal is always the same: to make food personal, meaningful, and memorable.

Debbie believes wholesome food does not have to be complicated, and gathering around a meal should not feel like work. Sometimes the best memories come from the simplest things: a good meal, people you love, and time spent together.

A story from Debbie

My First Catering Job: 65 People and ONE Instant Pot!

Everybody has to start somewhere, right? My first catering job was feeding 65 people at a church senior lunch, and let me tell you, I was TERRIFIED!

They chose a taco bar, so I prepared chicken tinga and Mexican steak for the fillings. Sounds simple enough, right?

Here's the funny part: I cooked ALL the protein in one single Instant Pot.

Yep. One protein at a time, several batches of each, over and over until I had enough to feed everybody. I also bought disposable chafing dishes, because I certainly didn't have a catering warehouse tucked away somewhere!

Somehow, I pulled it all together. The lunch went off without a hitch. I cleaned up, went home, and promptly crashed. I was too exhausted to even think about what I'd accomplished.

Then came a text from the lady who booked me. She'd received so many emails from people telling her how good the food was.

THAT made my heart sing!

Looking back, I laugh at my one-Instant-Pot catering operation. But it reminds me of something I believe: you don't need every gadget or a warehouse full of equipment to get started. You need to know your craft, be resourceful, and care about the people you're feeding.

That's the spirit behind The Shared Spatula. Good food, a little ingenuity, and a whole lot of heart.

My legacy

More than the meals prepared.

When Debbie looks toward the future, she does not want her legacy to simply be the meals she prepared or the events she catered. She wants it to be the memories she helped create.

Her hope is that The Shared Spatula becomes something that can be passed forward, not just through recipes, but through traditions, stories, knowledge, and the simple belief that there is always room at the table for one more.

To nourish people with good food, bring people together through hospitality, teach others to find joy in the kitchen, and leave behind a little more love around every table she touches.

Come to the table

Tell us what you're bringing together.

Let's talk about your event