Essential Gourmet

My name is Oscar McKenzie.  I have wanted to own a restaurant since I was 13 years old.  I have spent the past 12 years in college, grad school and working in the restaurant industry. COVID 19 forced the closure of the last restaurant where I worked.  While collecting unemployment I began to create, build menus, recipes, and concepts that I believe will work.  I read books on bootstrapping my business, and listened to audio books on starting lean.  I’m investing my entire rainy day fund to launch  Essential Gourmet.  In its rawest form, Essential Gourmet is a catering business with big dreams.  I want to use it to reimagine how we eat, and how we related to food daily using fresh ingredients that are sustainably sourced.  I will do this through weekly meal preparation with local pick up in Atlanta GA, but the growth possibilities are endless.  Whether the natural trajectory is a Food Truck, Meal Delivery, or National Growth it all starts right here with a dream.  


These funds will be used to purchase the pots, pans, and smallwares necessary to execute our menu each week, as well as licenses and fees associated with opening a new business.  I have exhausted my “rainy day” fund getting to this point with the rent and licenses needed to start the business, so your support will go a long way to taking a 20 year old dream and turning it into a reality.  I am extremely grateful for your time and support.