Every year in January there are celebrations throughout the month from people all over the country. No, I’m not talking about the New Year or even MLK Day. Many Divine Nine sororities and fraternities have what they call Founders’ Day in January. The Divine Nine consists of the nine recognized Black Greek-letter organizations, that are members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Founder’s Day is a very special occasion that represents the day their particular organization was founded. It’s a day to not only pay homage to the founders but also to celebrate all the great works they did. Divine Nine organizations were at the forefront of the civil rights movement.
Members celebrate by getting together, hosting events, posting on social media and so much more. I am a member of the Duplin County Chapter Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., which celebrates its Founders’ Day on Jan.16. To celebrate, I went out to eat with one of my chapter sisters, Christy Jeffers. I let her choose the location and we ended up at Peggy’s Kitchen Table.
I had passed by it a couple times but have never stopped to try anything, so I was excited to check out a spot in Duplin County that I have not tried yet. The restaurant is owned by Warsaw native Jerry Powell, along with his two children, Jeremy and Jasmin. He took over the building in Warsaw and created Peggy’s in June 2021 and originally wanted to name it The Kitchen Table. After the loss of his mother on the same day he was scheduled to become a limited liability company and buy the building, Powell thought it was only right to name the restaurant after her — especially because she was a big inspiration in his culinary career.
Growing up in Warsaw, one thing Jerry vividly remembers is family dinners. His mom was one of seven children and they would get together every week to have dinners.
“I guess that’s how I got into the hospitality field,” Powell said. “I watched my mom and aunts get together and cook for the family almost every week. So that’s what I’m used to — big crowds, good food and just enjoying your time around the table.”
Back to my experience. Upon arrival, everyone was really friendly and even laughed and joked with us. We had a busy day, so it was probably around 8 in the evening and most people had already had their dinner for the night but there were a few people in there still enjoying their meals.
I wasn’t super hungry and was mostly there to celebrate. So, after going back and forth with myself on what to order, I ended up ordering three appetizers. I saw several entrees that I wanted to try like the alfredo dishes but I am trying to do better in 2024 about overindulging. LOL!
The Korean beef tips were delicious, made to order like you want. They were cooked in a tasty garlic soy sauce marinade with a hint of pineapple flavor, but if you follow Duplin Eats, you know this girl loves her sauce! So, of course, I got a side of BBQ sauce to go with it, but honestly, it didn’t even need it.
The macaroni salad wasn’t my favorite, only because I like mine super creamy with a hint of sweetness but it wasn’t bad and was a great item to pair with the other two items I had. It balanced out the sweet/savory/fried appetizers and gave my dining experience a refreshing twist.
One thing Jerry said he loves about what he does is that he provides a family-friendly environment where people are treated like family when they come in.
“One of the things I like about being in Warsaw is that it’s so community-based. Customers come in and before they get to a table they see three other tables that they know. They say, “Hey neighbor,” and I like that. I want my customers to come in and feel like they are sitting at somebody’s kitchen table.”
I witnessed that myself while I was there. When Christy and I walked in she instantly began speaking to someone she knew. By the time we sat down, she was laughing with people from another table, and she doesn’t even live in Warsaw! That tells you something.
I think Jerry got it right with his description of what people can expect at his restaurant. I will definitely be going back, and this time I’m going on an empty stomach because I have quite a few more appetizers and entrees I want to try like the smoked wings, the spicy chicken and sausage alfredo, and the bacon pimento cheeseburger. Jerry also spoke of a special that is popular that I think is going to be a must-try: the stuffed sirloin with rosemary cream sauce. It just sounds so mouthwatering!
I haven’t even tried the main courses yet, and I already gave Peggy’s Kitchen Table an A+!
