Cynthia Bradger d.b.a. Big Mama’s Southern Cooking with Soul learned to stretch a dollar and a meal as an 11 year-old when she cooked for her family in Ft. Worth, Texas. “It is just the way we had to do things back then in order to get by.”
In high school, she was a flute player; but because there was not a uniform big enough to fit her, she was awarded the position of “band announcer.” She had and still does have a great gift for the gab which eventually landed her a job for seven years promoting products for Dudley Q, designing curriculums for Dudley Cosmetology University, and being a motivational speaker for their national sales meetings.
“Districts would compete to get me because their sales always went up after I left.” Her mantra before going to the podium each time was, “God, if there is anyone here that needs a special blessing and if I can make a difference, let me make a difference today!”
As an independent thinker and entrepreneur with flair, she ran her own salon in Kernersville over 15 years. “But my feet and legs were killing me from standing in one place; I needed to move!”
Cynthia opened Big Mama’s in October 2010 as a cafeteria style diner on West Acadia Street, adjacent to the historic Washington Park of Winston-Salem.
“I wanted Big Mama’s to be the kind of place when if they came in here having a bad day, that they will leave here with it being one of their best.” She said. All of her customers get personal attention in the best way. She learned long ago that everyone has a story to tell and that they are looking for an audience to listen.”
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