Satisfying cuisine and catering
Released Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 12:00 AM
City Foods owner Shaina Newton (left) and her partner Francis Davis
Kenneth Hardin
Salisbury Post
“Any food I make is good for the soul, that’s why I call it soul food,” is how Shaina Newton, owner of City Foods Catering LLC, responded when I asked her what style of cuisine she categorizes her cooking as. I noticed a faint, innocent smile on her face as she paused for a moment and seemed to be in deep thought. After sitting with this faith-driven woman who has turned life’s tragedies into triumphs, I realized what that smile represented.
Newton moved to Salisbury in 2019 from Church Hill, Virginia, settling here with her husband and two children after her husband was transferred to Salisbury. Sadly, her husband died in a motorcycle accident three years later, leaving her a young widow with two small daughters to raise. Rather than letting the gravity of the tragedy get to her and worry about this new chapter in her life as a single mother, she internalized her pain and used it as motivation to continue to provide a good life for her children.
Newton was already a skilled professional chef and caterer before she even made it south to the city limits. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Health and Nutrition from Virginia Commonwealth University and served as head caterer at Bank of America headquarters in Virginia from 2011 to 2016. After putting down roots here, she took a catering supervisor position at a local university, but after a tragedy struck, she decided to leave and go out on her own. Although Newton admits she was new to all things entrepreneurial, she says two angels helped guide her on the right path to success. She credits the Rowan Public Library for introducing her to a wealth of information and resources. She mentioned some of the free state certifications she got from the library, one of which has become essential to the wide variety of services she offers. She is certified in food and delivery services, which she now uses to provide delicious food to employees at the Salisbury VA Medical Center, Food Lion warehouse and headquarters, and NY Air Brake. Her kind heart and generous nature was evident just from talking to her, but it became even more evident when she told us that college students often call her asking for meals, and that she waives delivery fees or even provides them for free when they are short on cash.
Her altruistic food efforts extend far beyond the collegiate level. She provides free meals every week to the Girl Scout program at Moore’s Chapel AME Zion Church. She volunteers by preparing meals for elderly and disabled people, and recently accepted to mentor a young woman who wants to follow her catering path. She teaches her both food preparation and business while accompanying her to events. Newton was keen to build her business on a foundation of female empowerment. “I want to employ women of different ethnic backgrounds, ages and abilities. I want young women to know they can be leaders.”
She admits that she has no employees, but rather has “trusted friends” who help serve her, and while she does most of the cooking, her partner Francis Davis is responsible for the array of deliciously tasty and beautifully presented sweet treats she serves up.
When I ask Newton how her talent for cooking came to fruition, her smile of remorse becomes clearer. The smile returns to her face as she explains that she learned her talent for cooking from her late grandfather as a child in Virginia. She fondly recounts growing up in her grandfather’s kitchen, helping him cook for his informal home-based business, which offered good drinks and even better food. She laughs as she recalls coming home from school and being tasked with chopping cabbage and seasoning meat before going outside to play. Seeing the joy her grandfather’s cooking brought her in the family environment of her neighborhood, she says, made her realize he nourished the soul, and she wants to bring that same feeling here with her own cooking.
According to Newton, she can cook for anyone with any appetite or dietary restrictions. In addition to traditional menu items, she also offers vegan, pureed and nutritional alternatives. She has served outdoor events for 500 people, weddings, baby showers, graduations, funeral reunions, and has also provided intimate service for special occasions such as wedding anniversaries and Valentine’s Day celebrations. She is quickly becoming the go-to caterer for events. She has served the Veterans Social Center three times. After a recent funeral for a veteran that the facility assisted and that she catered, one of the attendees said, “I couldn’t be happier with you catering the funeral luncheon. Shaina and her team were amazing and the food was exceptional.”
City Foods recently provided meals for the city-sponsored Elizabeth Koontz Humanitarian Award program, and she’s grateful to a second angel who helped her get the deal and a stable life: Salisbury City Councilman and local business owner Harry McLaughlin. McLaughlin has allowed her to cook meals for his grocery store, which she calls a huge blessing.
Newton proudly announces the opening of her brick-and-mortar location at 1024 S. Fulton St. on September 1. Menus can be found on Instagram, Next Door, Yelp or on her website https://804cityfoodsrva.square.site/. Contact her directly at 804-773-6086 or cityfoodsrva@gmail.com.
