Roux and Vine LLC is managed by executive chef Leilani Baugh MBA. A local of Oakland, California, Leilani found her calling towards the culinary world in her youth. Raised by her two grandmothers, she learned while very young those meals and hospitality were the way to people’s hearts. With one grandmother a Chinese immigrant and the other a Southern housekeeper, she embraced all possible worlds by ultimately fusing the 2. Taking recipes from both grandmothers, she found herself mixing her favorites into delightful dishes on her family and friends.
In mid-2022, Chef Leilani returned to 1 of her favorite culinary scenes, New Orleans. A location where she visited often and where she decided to return to her roots of Southern/Cajun Cuisine with an Asian twist. In 2022, Roux and Vine was created. Leilani is definitely an experienced entrepreneur with a background in company events and catering. While Roux and Vine functions primarily as a catering company, they're also currently running your kitchen at Brix 581 – a bar and club situated in Oakland's Jack London Square.
Leilani's cooking is becoming quite renowned through the Community, and far from the clientele that comes to Brix 581 comes because of her food. Roux and Vine LLC has gained catering contracts with ESPN, NBA TV, KPMG, and Turner Movie Classics. They recently catered both 2022 and 2022 Western Conference Finals for ESPN combined with the 2022 finals. ESPN and NBA TV have agreed to take Roux and Vine LLC with them to Bay area if the Warriors end up being successful in the coming season.
With an effective catering business along with a loyal following at Brix 581, Roux and Vine looks to open their own restaurant, Magnolia Street Wine and Music Café, for which they've partnered using the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) to make use of the historic space from the California Hotel. The California Hotel is registered within the National Register of Historic Places and when served as a venue for some of the greatest names of Jazz for example Billie Holiday, James Brown, Sly Stone, Mahalia Jackson and Big Mama Thornton.
The opening of the restaurant is going to be area of the greater community-wide San Pablo Area Revitalization Collaborative (SPARC) which was formed in 2022 to enhance the and wellbeing from the 8,000 residents living near and along the 1.5 miles from the San Pablo Avenue Corridor and also the surrounding regions of West Oakland. The collaborative builds on neighborhood assets and pools resources to better achieve common outcomes. In this instance EBALDC and Pacific Community Ventures are coming together to invest in a West Oakland native entrepreneur who's looking to provide employment and cultural development opportunities for their community.
Roux and Vine has built strong partnerships with local organic produce vendors as well as a various community organizations. A part of their commitment is shown through their relationship using the Oakland Conservatory of Music, Roux and Vine LLC plans to possess a space in their restaurant where musicians in training can come and showcase their talents as well as other community musicians and artists that will be shown on a skill wall. They've also worked with a community organization being part of a skill walk in the region which will generate more clientele and a focus towards the business. The display of art and live musical performances can help identify the business like a culturally lively destination.
We're excited to assist them to grow and make good local jobs.
