Directory

My name is Rakita, I am the PROUD Owner & Head Chef at Lady Jays Catering! I am blessed to have an amazing family Keith Ames (of almost 8 years) 2 wonderful children (Maddison 6yrs and Malachi 3 yrs), amazing parents and siblings. I am honored that God chose ME to share His love through food with you all! I look forward to creating memories and bringing back warm memories of family through our food! Established in 2019. I learned about love while cooking alongside her grandmother, who was always happy to help whenever folks were hungry in her Washington, D.C., neighborhood. Familiar comfort foods — fried chicken, grits, collard greens, macaroni and cheese — were favorites with family members as well as neighbors. It was a way of filling bellies and touching hearts, Ames said. “People call this soul food, but I saw for myself how it really was food for the soul and that’s stayed with me all this time,”

Lady Jays Catering brings bespoke catering to the Martinsburg WV area with private and corporate events that will delight and inspire. We focus on quality and flavor, and comfort! Our food is designed with all diets in mind! We offer our SOUL FOOD Cuisine, Gluten Free options, Vegetarian options, Keto friendly, etc. We also provide, family meal options and our version of “meals on wheels”, directly from our kitchen to yours!

Community Involvement/Special Interested/Hobbies: Children’s Education and Interests, Being Outdoors

As President and founding member of the Junior League of the Eastern Panhandle, Richele holds over 15 years of experience in program management and grassroots volunteer coordination, which she intends to utilize throughout her tenure as JuLEP President. Richele is a 2000 graduate of Hedgesville High School and a 2004 graduate of Washington and Lee University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Post-college, Richele worked as a Presidential Campaign Field Director/Volunteer Coordinator for the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Following her time on the campaign, Richele worked as a Special Assistant to the General Counsel and the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. During her time at Treasury, Richele also served as the Agency Coordinator for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). In 2006 Richele departed Treasury to join a new team at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where she worked as a founding member to establish the Screening Coordination Office (SCO). Since leaving SCO in 2009, Richele has worked for U.S. Customs and Border Protection as a Program Management Analyst within the Office of the Commissioner. In her free time, Richele enjoys horseback riding, live music, photography, and creating social media content on a freelance basis.

Community Involvement/Special Interests/Hobbies: trying new recipes, reading, hiking and being outdoors, Leadership Berkeley Class of 2018, spending time with husband and dogs