It worked exactly as it was supposed to, and maybe even quicker than expected.
Dannielle Lumpkin began as a small catering company out of her home, and also sold her soul and Caribbean fare at festivals and special events.
Then she seized an opportunity in October 2022 and moved into the incubator space at Eli Fish on Main Street, Batavia, and set up shop as Mama Dee’z Kitchen. It was a family-run operation, and her food was a hot commodity.
Eli Fish owners Matt Gray and Jon Mager, and staff members guided Lumpkin along the way with business, marketing, and restaurant advice. The premise of an incubator is to allow a small business to learn the ropes and then move out on its own to expand and grow.
Lumpkin lasted four months. No, Mama D’eez didn’t fail — it did so well, Lumpkin signed a lease for two years at the former Fishtales Hideaway at 107 Evans St.
“It’s kind of surreal. I’m going to miss the people at Matty’s. Some of them are family now. I’m thankful for those connections,” she said Sunday. “We will start hiring soon. I want to balance it out, the traffic flow, and see how many I want to hire.”
Her restaurant will expand to a full menu, which she couldn’t do at the smaller space inside Eli Fish, she said. There’s “a lot more space and prep room,” Lumpkin said.
“We’re working on changes now. A lot is going to change,” she said. “The hours, we’ll be open later in the evening, to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday."
She is also planning to have a liquor license eventually.
Mama Dee'z will have a ribbon-cutting in mid-March, and Lumpkin will publicize more details soon, she said.
File photo: the former Fishtales will soon house Mama Dee'z Kitchen at 107 Evans St., Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
