User:Nchlmarie/sandbox

Patricia “Big Mama” Barron CEO and Owner of Big Mama’s Kitchen and Catering and Big Mama’s Sandwich Shop Born and raised in Omaha NE, she attended Kellom grade school, Tech Jr. High, and graduated from Central High School in 1960. “Big Mama” served her country in the Navy for four years after graduating high school. She then attended the University Of Nebraska at Omaha where she pursued a Degree in Sociology, but with her strong passion for food and feeding people, she decided to change her major to Culinary Arts and transferred to Metropolitan Community College where she earned an Associate’s Degree in 1973.

She worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company as a District Manager of a Data Center and retired after 30 years of service.

Believing that “Peace begins when the hungry are fed” Big Mama is also a member of North Side Mennonite church where she has been a member for more than 30 years. She has volunteered her time with the church locally serving as treasurer and women’s group leader. She has also served on boards for the national and international church which allowed her work in cities all over the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Africa.

Big Mama’s love for cooking started as a young child helping her grandmother “Lillie” cook and that passion for cooking continued throughout her life. She started an in home catering business over 40 years ago and in 2007 at the age tender age of 65.

Big Mama’s dream of owning her own Restaurant came to fruition, showing that one should never give up on their dreams. In 2013 Big Mama opened her second location Big Mama’s Sandwich Shop “serving unique sandwiches made with Soul in North Omaha.”

Big Mama’s restaurants have received International attention being featured on Food Network, Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, and the Sundance Channel.

Big Mama and her husband Ernest, who passed away in 2011, are the proud parents of 5 daughters, 15 grand children, 28 grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.

Big Mama says she looks forwarding to living life on her terms and working at her restaurants until she 100 years old.