Recipe for Success
The key ingredients for success are faith, family, a strong work ethic, and respect for others.
Sherri Buchanan, owner of Catering and Creations in Madisonville, possesses a diverse skill set in event planning and culinary arts, and this versatility has yielded remarkable rewards. What was initially a small endeavor on Seminary Street 12 years ago has transformed into a substantial brick-and-mortar catering business, a mobile food truck, an opportunity in rural event hosting, and a leadership role at Madisonville's primary convention center.
Her remarkable journey began as a response to a devastating tornado on November 15, 2005, which wreaked havoc in Earlington and southeastern Madisonville, causing extensive damage to homes and injuring many. Sherri, along with fellow members of Grapevine Baptist Church, rallied to cook in large quantities for displaced families taking shelter there. Although Sherri had limited culinary experience before this disaster, she found the work not only fulfilling but also ignited her passion for cooking.
With determination Sherri and her husband Jamie, honed their culinary skills using family recipes, investing time and effort, and enduring trial and error.
"We started taking on more responsibilities for the church, and people began inquiring about our services for weddings," Sherri recalled. "Eventually, we decided to take the plunge and do it the right way."
Catering and Creations made its debut on Seminary Street in late 2012, much to the satisfaction of the hungry population in Hopkins County. Clients were so impressed with Sherri's "family recipe" menu, featuring casseroles, roasted meats, pasta, southern sides, specialty salads, and baked goods, that less than two years later, the Buchanans were already seeking larger establishments.
Now located at its permanent home at 3295 North Main Street, Catering and Creations offers two-in-one catering services and an event venue. The much larger facility also allows for faster, more bountiful, and more efficient work.
In 2017, Jamie and Sherri expanded their business significantly by introducing C&C Express, a mobile food truck offering a menu distinct from traditional wedding or family reunion fare. With offerings like southwest chicken nachos, barbecue, lemon shake-ups, and more. With Jamie at the helm of this project, it is no surprise that C&C Express received accolades such as Best Presentation and People's Choice at the 2019 Evansville Food Truck Festival, and was even featured in the May 2018 issue of Kentucky Monthly Magazine.
"It's essentially a restaurant on wheels," Sherri explained. "In our North Main building, I know exactly what I need and how much to order, giving me control over my expenses, labor, and overhead. On the food truck side, it's more unpredictable, but it provided us with a new level of exposure."
Recognizing the explosive popularity of food trucks, especially in Madisonville, Sherri entered this scene early and with great success.
As if these achievements were not enough, the Buchanans expanded their endeavors once more in the late summer of 2023. They unveiled Credo Pointe, an event venue in White Plains, located in the former Lifepointe Church on Red Hill Road. This 9,700-square-foot pole barn structure is now available for bookings for weddings, parties, and other gatherings.
Sherri views this new venture as a challenge that complements their existing services. She expressed her appreciation for the warm reception they have received from the local community.
As she reflects on the past 18 years, which have taken her from a church kitchen to the helm of a catering business, event venues, and leadership at the county convention center, Sherri attributes her success to the values instilled in them by their families, who each have a strong commitment to serving others.
Additionally, the business's continued success and growth have been impacted by involvement with the local Chamber of Commerce and Madisonville-Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation.
"My father overcame adversity, worked tirelessly, and built a life for himself," she remarked. "The values of hard work and treating others with respect have been instilled in me from birth, and our family plays a significant role in our business."
Her father, at 81 years old, still remembers the number of lemon shake-ups he made at the fair. For Sherri, her success can be distilled from the core values of faith, family support, hard work, and treating people with kindness and respect. The most rewarding aspect of her business is the diverse and meaningful relationships she has cultivated, both professionally and personally, as they represent the heart of what she does. It is a source of immense satisfaction to do business with a wide range of people and serve her community.
