V (Five) Questions for Veteran Small Business Owners Featuring Monica Alvarado, Owner of Bread & Butter Kitchen

November 15, 2021

Although National Veterans Small Business Week (November 1-5, 2021) and Veterans Day have passed, we’re only halfway through National Veterans And Military Families Month (November 2021) and are therefore continuing to highlight some of the many great Veteran-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County through our interview series:

“V (Five) Questions for Veteran Small Business Owners”

Perfectly timed for the arrival of feels-like-winter weather, our third Q & A features Monica Alvarado, Owner of Bread & Butter Kitchen – one of the best places in Anne Arundel County to get your fill of comfort food that’s cooked with love.

Yes, there’s a very good chance that you’ve heard of Monica and seen her smiling face thanks to news coverage of her launch of Feed Anne Arundel in March 2020, her mid-summer appearance on Good Morning America, her very recent appearance on the Eye On Annapolis Local Business Spotlight – or perhaps by attending one of the countless events that she participates in in the local community.

But there’s also a good chance that you didn’t know she’s a Veteran – so read on!

What’s the name of your business and how did you come up with the name?
Bread and Butter Kitchen. Honestly – it popped in my head while in the shower one morning, not to mention they are two of my favorite things!

What does your business do and what motivated you to start it?
Open seven days a week, we serve breakfast and lunch using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Whenever possible, we source from local farmers and vendors in the area. I started my company while still working full-time as a program manager for a technology firm. I was a wee bit burned out from 20+ years of government and IT contracts and wanted to do something I was passionate about. Turns out, that was making delicious food. I started out at the AACO Farmers Market making and selling meals-to-go, made from scratch using ingredients from the farmers at the market. I never planned to open a restaurant, but when the opportunity was presented, I jumped at the opportunity.

If you had to name just one, what quality or skill from your service most applies to being a small business owner?
Commitment: Owning a business is not for the faint of heart, especially when you employ others. Your success or failure has a direct impact on the lives of the people who work with you. With this in mind, I can personally say that my commitment to face and overcome obstacles has been an important skill that I’ve carried with me throughout my career and now into owning my own business. So many obstacles pop up daily – some minor, others major (think pandemic huge) – and if I were not committed to my vision and to my team, I would not have made it through the pandemic. Heck, I’d never have made it through the early stages when I had to navigate the health department requirements to even start Bread and Butter Kitchen.

What aspect of your business are you most proud of/what’s your favorite part of running it?
I am most proud of the team that I have built and the culture I have created at Bread and Butter Kitchen. While cultivating a team and culture is always a work in progress, I can confidently say that my team understands my vision and feels that they are a part of something bigger than just making great food. My business is a reflection of my personality and my beliefs – that comes through the food, the décor, the customer service, and our commitment to making our community a better place. I love what I do and I love my team and our customers. It’s a good feeling to know that you are making a positive impact in our little corner of the world.

What’s the top piece of advice you’d give a veteran who’s thinking about starting a small business?
My husband and I have a little something we say to each other when times are tough: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” This means that while there will be days when everything is going exactly as planned, there will also be days/weeks/months where everything is upside down and inside out, and the way to get through them is to stop and look at your challenges and take them “one bite at a time.” You just need to put one foot in front of the other, and before you know it you’ll have overcome that obstacle and put yourself (or your business) back on track.

 

To learn more about Bread & Butter Kitchen, visit: https://breadandbutterkitchen.com/

To learn more about AAEDC’s Inclusive Ventures Program – an initiative that aims to help small and minority-, women-, and Veteran-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County succeed and grow by providing their owners with the resources that early-stage entrepreneurs so often lack: business education and training, access to capital, and mentorship – visit: https://www.aaedc.org/minority-business/

Eye On Annapolis Reports on 11 Businesses Completing Second AAEDC Inclusive Ventures Program »