Today we’d like to introduce you to Tameka Tallie.
Hi Tameka, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Southern Harvest Soul Food was birthed out of pure obedience to God. In the latter part of 2017, the Lord spoke to me and told me to quit my job and open a restaurant. At the time, I was a licensed social worker working in private practice, providing psychological counseling and mental health services. Walking away from stability to pursue something I could not fully see required faith, but obedience unlocked the journey.
My husband, Terrance, and I have always had a heart for serving, hospitality, and cooking. While he was serving our country as an active-duty United States Marine, we were stationed in different places, constantly meeting new people who quickly became family. Food became our ministry. Southern hospitality wasn’t something we tried to display — it was who we naturally were. Coming from families of cooks and servers, the kitchen became our place of comfort, creativity, and connection. His mother loved being in the kitchen, and so did my late grandmother, Alberta. Their influence runs through everything we do.
In 2018, God gave me a dream of my husband and I cooking in the exact location we operate from today. The vision included the name “Harvest” and from there, Southern Harvest Soul Food was born. We take no credit for it. Even the property itself was God-given. We are simply the vessels.
Southern Harvest Soul Food exists to serve the hearts and souls of our community one plate at a time; it is our mission. We are a faith-based, family-owned, veteran-owned business, and we do nothing without consulting God first. Our slogan is “straight from the heart of Mississippi,” because that’s where our roots, culture, and flavor come from.
We believe that no matter what other businesses grow around us, it is God, and only God, who sustains us. Through sickness, hospitalizations, inflation, recession, pandemics, and transition, He has kept us. We strive to operate with integrity, excellence, warmth, and faith. When customers walk through our doors, we want them to feel like they’ve stepped into family, not just a restaurant. Southern Harvest isn’t just about food. It’s about ministry, community, culture, hospitality, testimony, and legacy, plate by plate, story by story.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey has definitely not been a smooth road. Anytime you decide to obey God, especially in business, you can expect resistance. While our purpose has been clear, the process has been stretching.
One of our biggest challenges was opening up right before the world shifted during COVID-19. We were just completing our first full year, entering into our second year of business. My husband had just submitted paperwork for retirement. Southern Harvest was just beginning to be known by the community and did not expect that a global pandemic, shutdowns, and supply shortages were right around the corner. Overnight, we had to learn how to operate differently and pivot quickly. Thank God we had a drive-thru window. This was extremely important for us and our continued success in this industry. We also utilized DoorDash and Grubhub at the time to increase revenue and foot traffic despite the circumstances.
Another challenge has been staffing. The restaurant industry has always seen a nationwide shortage of reliable workers, and as a small business, we feel those impacts even the more. We’ve also navigated the increasing cost of goods, inflation, and competition from larger chains with bigger budgets.
There were seasons of discouragement. For instance, there were moments where foot traffic was slow, funding was tight, and burnout was real. But as entrepreneurs we had to trust in Jesus. After all, He was the one who called us to this profession. Prayer was something we really held onto during this season (and every season really good and bad).
Balancing family life, ministry commitments, and entrepreneurship has required sacrifice and intentionality. We’ve had to learn when to rest, how to set boundaries, and how to trust God beyond what we see. But I will say that through every struggle, God has proven the vision was from Him. Our community rallied behind us. Customers became supporters, encouragers, and family. We watched God send help and support at the exact right time.
On two separate occasions, I dealt with serious health scares that resulted in hospitalization. One of those times, I spent time in the ICU and was out of work for six months, having to relearn how to walk. It was frightening, but my husband, our team, and the community rallied around us. Those challenges strengthened us, shaped our character, sharpened our systems, increased our faith, and anchored us in our mission. We stand today not because the road has been easy, but because we refused to quit. While we understand we cannot please everyone who walks through our doors, our consistency and our faith continue to sustain us.
As you know, we’re big fans of SOUTHERN HARVEST SOUL FOOD INC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Southern Harvest Soul Food is located in the heart of Onslow County, at 2355 Western Blvd Ste 100 Jacksonville, North Carolina. We serve both our local community and surrounding military families. We offer dine-in, takeout, catering, holiday orders, and special event menus and more. We also recently launched a mobile food trailer that allows us to bring our Mississippi style of cooking directly to festivals, community events, and neighborhoods.
Our brand specializes in offering foods straight from the heart of Mississippi. My husband and I are both from Oxford, MS; we are Jr. High School sweethearts we met when I was 13 years old. The food that we offered is rooted in authenticity, tradition, and family legacy. Everything we serve is prepared with intentionality.
What truly sets our brand apart is our foundation. Southern Harvest was birthed out of obedience to God, rooted in family legacy, and sustained by the love and support of our community. We operate with a ministry mindset serving every person with dignity, compassion, and authentic hospitality. Southern Harvest Soul Food is more than a business; it’s an experience. Whether someone comes in hungry for a meal or hungry for comfort, our goal is that they leave full both naturally and spiritually. We strive to create an atmosphere that feels like home through the music that uplifts, the conversations that encourage, and the food that stirs memories of family and tradition.
Brand wise, we are most proud of the culture we’ve created. Although we have been opened since 2018 there are still quite a bit of people within the surrounding counties that do not know we even exist. We are the only true “soul food” restaurant in Jacksonville. But the culture we’ve created is one where customers become family and staff feel valued. Our slogan, “faithfamilyfood” reflects exactly who we are. Every plate carries a story, a memory, and a piece of Mississippi heritage.
We want readers to know that Southern Harvest offers more than meals. We offer catering with customization, food-truck experiences, special themed brunch events, seasonal dishes, community outreach dinners, and creative menus that evolve with the times while honoring tradition.
At the end of the day, our mission is simple: to serve the hearts and souls of our community, one plate at a time. We’re honored to do what we do, and we pray that every experience with Southern Harvest feels like home.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can support Southern Harvest Soul Food by dining with us, booking us for catering, or partnering with us for community events through our mobile food trailer. Sharing our posts, leaving positive reviews, and recommending us to others also makes a huge impact. We welcome collaborations with local businesses, churches, schools, and organizations. And above all, we appreciate prayer, encouragement, and helping spread the word about our mission to serve the hearts and souls of our community one plate at a time. For those outside the area, purchasing gift cards or inviting others to visit when they’re in town also makes a big impact. We welcome vendor opportunities, local festivals, and community-driven partnerships through our mobile food trailer as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.southernharvestsf.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernharvestsf/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernHarvestSF
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@southernharvestsf
