Kitchen Wisdom

Oliphant is the maiden last name of Denise’s grandmother, who was born in South Carolina during the Great Depression and raised in a world that was tough for black girls in the rural deep South. She eventually moved to New York City to raise her children while working jobs at the phone company and city hospitals. She had movie star looks and a singing voice to match, but had to fulfill the obligations of single motherhood.

Still, she filled her home with music, poetry, and theater, and was an accomplished cook. She measured ingredients, but she followed her intuition, too, adding seasoning and garnish as she liked. Those who work with The Oliphant become part of Granny’s lineage: passion, not permission, for telling good stories with dashes of flair and creativity that people remember.