Local Business Spotlight is proudly supported by EPB and The Pulse. If you're a local business owner and would like your business to be highlighted for our weekly spotlight, click here to tell us about you and your business.
Some caterers serve up one style: Asian food, all-American fare, or perhaps anything dipped in cheese. Not The Absolute Best Eatery. They can cook to your fancy, or, if you want help coming up with a creative concept, they’ll supply the imagination all own their own.
Call owner Tabitha Holifield when you want something extraordinary, and she’ll do the rest.
“I’m a very creative chef of many things,” says owner Tabitha Holifield, who got her start cooking for family, followed by experience in the restaurant business. “I can do every kind of entrée you can think of. I can cook across all genres of foods. I create daily meals, catering, private events, and dinners for two or more.”
If it’s your loved one’s birthday and you want to set a festive mood with a tasty feast, Holifield will come to your home to whip up the perfect dinner. Maybe you’re getting ready to propose to your special someone and you want a magical meal. She’s got you there, too. The services of a private, experienced chef at an affordable price point are a unique benefit that’s not always easy to find in Chattanooga.
The Absolute Best Eatery also caters large-scale private and public events, which Holifield loves. From Alabama to Knoxville, Holifield brings her portable kitchen and sets up shop at expos, festivals and fairs. One of her favorite places is The Commons in Collegedale, but she’s always on the move. Last week it was The Great Food Truck Event on Wilcox Blvd., and June 19 will find The Absolute Best Eatery at Juneteenth at The Bethlehem Center.
Fans can find out where The Absolute Best Eatery will be open next by visiting theabsolutebesteatery.com and clicking the big purple button. On many days, Grab & Go Meals are also available for delivery within 10 miles of the East Brainerd area.
From stuffed pineapple to chicken and waffles to barbecue-smothered corn on the cob, The Absolute Best Eatery is sure to get your taste buds tingling. One of Holifield’s favorite tricks is turning anything into an egg roll.
“One of our most popular foods at events is jerk chicken and mac and cheese in an egg roll,” she says. “We also make veggie and shrimp egg rolls. Aloha Chicken is another crowd favorite.”
And while no one can completely imitate Holifield’s cuisine, you can enjoy some of her flavors at your home when you purchase one of her custom seasonings or syrups, also found on her website — they’re on sale right now at any two for $20.
Despite the challenges of starting a business during the pandemic, including acquiring licensing and professional cooking supplies, The Absolute Best Eater is already going strong.
“I’ve always had a great love of cooking,” Holifield says. “I was that person in the group who hosted the Superbowl parties and cooked for the kids’ birthdays. After a traumatic event in my life, the kitchen was my release. When I went into business and put my food in front of the public, people were drawn to it like moths to a flame.”
It’s easy to see why. The Absolute Best Eatery combines creativity, integrity and with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. For this new business, the sky’s the limit!
Catch the Flavor
Find The Absolute Best Eatery online at theabsolutebesteatery.com or social media @TheAbsoluteBestEatery. For catering orders, call (423) 443-6407.