Raia Brooks has always been passionate about giving back to her community and her favorite way to do so is with food made with love.
What began as a hobby quickly grew into a side hustle in 2018 when Raia, working at a call center, decided to start making and delivering lunch plates for extra income. By 2019, Love on a Plate was born.
Through trial and error, Raia realized she preferred catering events and preparing meal prep orders over selling individual plates. Over the years, she has catered church gatherings, weddings, as well as family and corporate events, establishing herself as a trusted provider of heartfelt meals.
Raia started cooking out of her own home but, after some searching, found Genesis Event Center’s kitchen and enjoys working primarily out of their facility.
Her children have helped her sell her food at pop-ups and other events throughout the years and she loves that they have become involved in the business. Raia’s daughter has developed a love for cooking, while her son has a mind for business. Her hope is that she’ll be able to pass this on to them when the time is right.
“Love on a Plate is not just to help me, it’s my legacy,” Raia said.
Raia attended her first REI Oklahoma event in early 2024 at the January Women’s Business Breakfast in Oklahoma City. While catering a wedding in December 2023 the event’s DJ told her about REI Oklahoma and the monthly breakfasts. Intrigued, Raia grabbed her friend, Norma Lopez, Founder and CEO of ChloeBella Handcrafted, and went to the next Women’s Business Breakfast.
She was amazed by how much opportunity for learning and growth she saw was available at REI Oklahoma. Raia thought, “I’m going to be able to do so much with them.”
Networking has been a cornerstone of Raia’s success. She finds joy in connecting with people from all walks of life, believing that food has the power to bring everyone together.
“I network with a lot of people who don’t look like me because I like crossing those lines and sharing the love of food,” she says. “No matter who you are, when you’re eating fried chicken, you’re going to be happy.”
Her involvement with REI Oklahoma didn’t stop at networking events. In 2024, Raia was accepted into the Oklahoma City Minority Supplier Program, a partnership that includes REI Oklahoma, which aims to help minority entrepreneurs compete for corporate and government contracts. While Raia is still navigating the right contract opportunities for her services, the program has opened new doors and expanded her horizons.
2024 has also brought personal challenges for Raia, making it harder for her to focus solely on Love on a Plate. However, she’s ready to shift gears. Taking a month off from her day job in August, Raia has had time to get things in order and prepare to work for herself full-time.
Owning her own business has given her the financial flexibility to do things like this and she’s ready to work only for herself. “Cooking is what makes me happy and I have to do some things that truly make me happy,” Raia said.
As a business owner she has also been able to give back. Love on a Plate has donated meals to the Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral several times in 2024. She also wants to offer a smaller, more affordable menu for people to order meals for loved ones going through to
ugh times.
“I am proud that I have been able to donate my time and meals,” Raia said. “I just love being able to feed people.”
The REI Oklahoma Business Resource Center team has helped her build out a roadmap for her business. She knows that when she’s ready for what’s next, they’ll be there to help her.
Raia expressed her gratitude to those who invest in REI Oklahoma’s mission, saying, “Thank you for being a resource to the community. Please continue to donate because people are growing their businesses and lives with the guidance of REI Oklahoma.”
With a solid foundation and a clear action plan, the future of Love on a Plate is indeed looking bright!
Raia Brooks
Love on a Plate
loveonaplateok@gmail.com | loveonaplate.com | Facebook Page