Community Highlights: Meet Starr Bennett of Da Meat Up

Today we’d like to introduce you to Coleisha Bennett.

Hi Coleisha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I stopped eating pork about 5 years prior to my plant-based transition. I then cut out red meat about a year or so later but struggled with removing chicken and fish from my diet. About 2.5 years ago I was faced with a health issue. I’m not a really big fan of taking medication daily so I did some research and found how the diet was tied to certain ailments and decided to dive fully into my vegan / plant-based journey.

It was a struggle as I convinced myself that I was a “pescatarian” – I love my seafood, but I realized I had to go all in if I was to see any results from changing my diet. Long story short, I went back to the doctor after a few months of eating differently and moderately exercising and everything improved. I explained to the doctor what I did and she replied, “Keep it going! Everything looks great.” I didn’t have to take any medicine and quickly learned that this is what I needed to do in order to stay healthy for me.

As a result, I started trying to turn some of my favorite dishes into a plant-based /vegan version. I got my son – who was 11 at the time – on board and he became my in-house Gordon Ramsey. He was brutally honest and sent me back to the drawing board often until I mastered the recipe. The year 2020 came and covid was quickly on the rise. I wanted to protect my family & friends by sharing what worked for me and my knowledge of the correlation between diets and illnesses.

I was born in Jamaican and our culture is known for certain meals that we traditionally make, some of which were my favorites. I started researching textures and flavors to be able to make anyone feel they were eating oxtails, fried chicken, curry goat, etc. I began cooking and sharing my meals and eventually posted them on my social media pages. I would get inquiries about recipes, catering &, etc.

I built a following of people curious to try my food and decided to host a pop-up for the Juneteenth holiday back in 2020. I made a traditional soul food dish that resembled fried chicken, collard greens, mac & cheese, and candied yams w/ cornbread; ALL VEGAN! It was then that Da Meat Up, LLC was born. The reviews were all positive and customers raved about the food and requested I do another, and another and another… Now here we are.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In anything you do – especially when you’re building the foundation from scratch for business- it’s never easy. There’s a lot that goes into running a business that folks who own them don’t tell you or forget to tell you, lol. Unfortunately, the only way to figure it out sometimes is through trial and error.

One of my biggest struggles is trying to successfully cook on sight at these markets. Because I don’t have a mobile vending vehicle/food truck, my team and I currently operate from a tent setup. This has its challenges because there’s a lot of equipment to be set up and make look presentable outside of preparing the food and staying within safe handling guidelines.

Another obstacle is finding funds to do these events more frequently as well as to obtain a food truck/physical location. One other obstacle is getting people to try food when they’ve already made their minds up because they know it’s not “meat.” However, this obstacle is usually pretty easy to hurdle as customers eventually give in and are mind-blown. Lol.

We’ve been impressed with Da Meat Up, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Da Meat Up, LLC is a restaurant/food vendor business that offers plant-based & vegan cuisine. We are known for recreating dishes, but with a vegan & plant-based twist. The thing that sets us apart from others is we can make many different meals using flavors, recipes, and techniques from almost any tradition or culture completely PLANT-BASED or 100% VEGAN.

We specialize in anything from handhelds to comfort & soul food. All of which contain no dairy and no animal by-products of any kind. We are known for our vegan oxtails a.k.a “Faux-tails,” Mac & Chizz, Jackfruit RIBZ & our vegan fried chicken a.k.a “Chizz’kn Wangz.” We also offer 100% Natural Juices and our fan favorite, Seamoss Smoothies.

Outside of our market menu and al carte items, we offer meal prep, catering, and more. Da Meat Up, LLC aims to be your go-to spot to meet up, eat well, link with some cool folks, and have the ultimate guilt-free dining experience.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I can honestly say I was never the biggest risk taker. Mainly because I’m afraid of failure and the idea of starting over. However, I’ve failed and started over plenty of times and still push through. I pray for guidance and walk by faith daily.

I learned that without risk there is little to no reward and one can limit or never discover their full potential. I can honestly say that the old me would’ve never thought I’d be owning and operating my own food business. I can attest that this is a great example of greatness being discovered outside of your comfort zone. You just have to be willing to bet on yourself!

Contact Info:

• Website:www.DaMeatUp.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dameatup/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/107557087676568/