Welcome To: Brown Sugar Kitchen

I am not a morning person, and yet I’ve seen sunrise almost every day for the past six years. I’m thankful I live only four blocks from Brown Sugar Kitchen because I can be in the kitchen before I realize how tired I am.

I’m the first to arrive, circling the pie-shaped building at 5:30 a.m., removing the heavy-duty locks from the window grates and doors. As soon as I walk in, I turn on the ovens and fire up the burners. I’m awake now—sleepiness and fire don’t mix. Pulling out a rondeau pot, I fill it with oil for frying chicken. Then I fill another shallow pot with water and a big splash of distilled white vinegar—ground zero for poaching eggs. Assembling the pots and pans is one of the rituals that help me set the tone for the day.