By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The taste of chicken & dressing, mac & cheese, honey bun cake and other treats from Jackie Mae’s kitchen is inspiring many to share the good news.
Since opening June 23, Jackie Mae’s Place located at 6646 Highway 51 North has been building up a following. Armed with her original recipes, friendly staff and signature events, owner Jackie Mae is ready to make a splash in Millington and the surrounding communities.
“It’s been going good,” she said. “Each week the traffic picks up. My ‘Soul Food Sundays’ have been amazing. I’m open Wednesdays to Sundays and those days of the week are getting better and better. The word about us is spreading. Word of mouth has been good.”
Customers like Willie Richman have enjoyed items on the menu like meatloaf, pasta dishes, cabbage, greens, fried corn, black-eyed peas, baked chicken, chitterlings and much more.
“Jackie Mae has the best sweet potatoes you’ll ever want to find,” he said. “My wife and I have come two or three times already. This is good down home Southern cooking. I love it.”
With Saturdays designated for breakfast brunch featuring chicken and waffles, Jackie Mae said her developing customer base will have more favorites to speak about.
“These are my own recipes and some are family too,” she explained. “But most of them are Jackie Mae’s originals. I’ve been cooking since I was a little girls. I’ve been cooking for a long time.”
The Memphis native has shared her love of the kitchen with her husband, family, friends and neighbors for years through catering.
“I am a Southern girl and my mom Sally Mae Nelson taught me how to cook,” Jackie Mae acknowledged. “The soul of it and for me cooking is love. That’s why I do it. It’s really a personal thing. With cooking you have to want to cook. Anything worth doing in life, you have to love it. I love to cook. All my family, friends and neighbors know that’s me, the woman who loves to cook.”
Jackie Mae shares her passion and business dream with family as they work hard in the kitchen and dining areas to gave customers the Jackie Mae’s Place experience.
“Staff is friendly and Ms. Jackie Mae is very friendly and very nice,” Richman added. “Without delay, if you want some of the best cooking in the South, come on down to Jackie Mae’s.”
On the Jackie Mae’s Place team are Lakyra Burnett, Telecia Wade, Brinda Douglas, Keith Elder, Kendra Holoway, Sa’Conya Toler, Herb Evans, Sheka Ambrose, Kris Ambrose and Jackie Mae.
“Customers can expect good service, cleanliness, good food made to order,” she said. “We have a real friendly staff.”
Jackie Mae said above all the food will keep customers coming back. With a variety of desserts like butter rolls, peach cobblers, strawberry cheesecakes, lemon chest pies, honey bun cakes and much more selling out, Jackie Mae is confident her place will a top destination in the Millington area for years to come.
“It’s some place you’ve never been before and once you come to experience it, you’ll be glad you did,” she concluded. “Come down to Jackie Mae’s Place. It’s something totally different and unique.”
For more information, call 872-1047.
