J’Mae’s Home Cooking serving up soulful food in Toledo

TOLEDO, Ohio — Jaleo Young is the owner of J’Mae’s Home Cooking. For him, it’s about the legacy and love his family puts into the food he serves the community.

“The more love you put into that food, the better people will be able to connect with it,” Young said.

Young is a Black business owner who has worked for 11 years with his family in Toledo. Being a Black business owner comes with unique challenges, including having a Black business, Young said.

He offered advice to anyone of color who might be apprehensive of the challenge.

“My advice to anyone that wants to start a business is make sure it something that you want to do, something that you love to do, because you’re going to have a lot of bumps and bruises along the way,” Young said. “And if you’re not built to endure that the business probably won’t last. Just make sure it’s something you would do for free.”

J’Mae’s Restaurant offers Southern-style food and desserts with family recipes from his grandmother, Johnnie Mae.

Young attributes his family’s resiliency to her, and he strives to honor her through the food he makes at J’Mae’s.

“All of our food is Southern-inspired, which is what my grandmother grew up on, which she provided and passed down to the generations,” Young said.

Young grew up in Toledo, so it means even more to him that he can have a restaurant where he was raised.

His inspiration, dedication and hard work have cultivated his Black-owned business and have made J’Maes successful.

“We’re just trying to set an example that she set first, and we’re just trying to show the generations to come that with hard work and sticking together, we can accomplish anything.”

 J’Maes Home Cooking is located at 3312 Glendale Ave. in south Toledo.

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