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Caterer Quiana Smack is set to open her first brick-and-mortar eatery, Qui's Cafe, Sept. 1.
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Pineapple-cherry chicken wings will be on the menu at Qui's Cafe.
With boxes still to unpack at her new home, Quiana Smack, 40, began catering comfort food in Richmond just three weeks after moving to the city in 2018. Smack says she gained an instant clientele as members of Faith and Family Church, where her husband had just taken a job as a community pastor, learned about her catering company, Qui’s Traveling Pot. After two years of growing her customer base, Smack is opening Qui’s Cafe on Sept. 1 inside the Celebration Church building located at 5501 Midlothian Turnpike.
Richmond magazine: Where did the name Qui’s Traveling Pot come from?
Quiana Smack: I felt like [catering] was my pot from my kitchen traveling to your table. I put my heart and soul into everything I cook, and it’s always my prayer that people feel that.
RM: When did you start cooking?
Smack: I remember being 11 years old and making Buffalo wings. I come from a very foodie family. … I have three great aunts, [and] when I would go to their house, whether it was for a holiday or just an average day, they would have these spreads out. I remember being 8 years old and just amazed. It was special. I found out after they passed that they had a catering company. This is in my DNA.
RM: How did you end up in Richmond?
Smack: My husband came and said, “Hey, I got a job offer in Richmond.” He gets many job offers, but this one he took because of me. He said “Richmond is a foodie city, I think you can really grow your business there. Take a chance on yourself and let's do this.” So, I said OK.
RM: What excites you most about your first brick-and-mortar eatery?
Smack: I'm most excited that all of my hard work, blood, sweat and tears are finally coming to fruition and I see it. I can touch it now. It’s beautiful to me that my daughter has seen most of this journey. She's 13. She's a baker to her core. And she's seen the failures. She's seen victories. I believe that I'm setting her up. She wants to own a bakery once she gets older, and for her to see that journey and see me win — I can't pay for that. Just to be an example for young black women … and to show them that you can do this.
RM: What do you want the customer experience to be like at Qui’s Café?
Smack: Qui’s Café is a homestyle kitchen, and I specialize in comfort food with a twist. It's the classics that you've probably grown to love growing up, [offered] in a new way. The atmosphere really is a homestyle atmosphere. When you come in, you should feel comfortable, you should feel like you came into Grandma's house. I’m not that old, but you should have that level of comfort.
RM: What are some examples of comfort food with a twist?
Smack: I have a Sunday tea, which has been explosive. People contact me to get this by the gallons. … It’s a cucumber-mint sweet tea. It's refreshing. It's unexpected. It’s just really delicious. It is a little more straightforward, but that little twist in it just does something to people. Food-wise, I have pineapple-cherry wings — sweet, tiny bit of spice.
RM: What’s your favorite menu item?
Smack: I will probably say the cheesesteak right now. I'm from Philly. I have not found an authentic Philadelphia cheesesteak since I've been here, so it was important to me that I put it on the menu. That’s one thing that is true to what it is. There’s no twist. I did add an additional item, which is a cheesesteak empanada version. But the cheesesteak — I want it to be true [and] pay homage.
Qui’s Cafe will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon to 8 p.m.
