For many, the kitchen is a place of comfort and creativity, and for Paradise, it has always held a special place in her life.
Growing up in East Dallas near Casa Linda, her family prioritized fresh, home-cooked meals.
With a pantry stocked with vegetables from her mother’s produce cooperative, she recalls, “They would have whatever those people decided to buy that week. That’s what was in (their delivery).”
Her childhood lessons on cooking encouraged her to embrace even the more obscure items, like sugar cane, or the disliked Brussels sprouts.
“At my house, you ate what was on your plate. If it was good for you, it was going to go in your body, and it was not going to go in the trash,” she explains.
Despite her passion for cooking, life took Paradise on a different path.
With a career that transitioned from chain restaurant operations to real estate, the duty of making dinner for her family remained a constant in her life.
However, the hectic schedules of sports activities for her children meant that convenience often won over home-cooked meals.
“We were always on the go,” Paradise reflects. “Still, I was the mom where I was trying to serve (dinner).”
The struggle to balance work, extracurricular activities, and family dinners led to frequent drive-thru trips, which weren’t the ideal situation for a cooking enthusiast.
While juggling these responsibilities, Paradise still managed to prioritize family meals and continued experimenting in the kitchen.
Despite a lack of formal culinary training, her friends often encouraged her to open a restaurant, a suggestion she firmly rejected.
However, in 2020, circumstances changed.
From the encouragement of neighbors looking for convenient meal options, Paradise launched Baller Mom Kitchen straight from her home.
Although not a full-service restaurant, her business quickly gained popularity by offering pre-made meals for families needing a hearty dining option without the hassle of cooking.
“I do believe that there’s real value in sitting around the kitchen table as a family and having dinner,” she states, acknowledging the challenges many families face in maintaining this tradition amidst busy schedules.
Escaping the chaos of family life was her primary motivation to build this service, catering to other moms experiencing similar challenges.
Initially, Paradise’s team was composed of other local mothers working with her at home.
But as the pandemic hit, adapting the business model became essential.
“We were scrambling to find gloves and packaging because all of a sudden, every restaurant wanted the same packaging we’d been buying,” she recalls.
With her original workforce needing to stay home with their kids, she seized this moment to tap into the available talent left by restaurants that were laying off staff.
This pivot significantly shifted the operation’s dynamic and led to a greater capacity for meal preparation.
As popularity surged, it soon became clear that Paradise needed a commercial kitchen.
Today, Baller Mom Kitchen operates out of the larger kitchen at Highland Oaks Church of Christ, utilizing the facilities at Cochran Chapel United Methodist Church off Northwest Highway and Midway Road.
A crucial milestone in her business journey was the endorsement from a fellow mom in Lake Highlands, which catalyzed significant growth for Baller Mom Kitchen.
“Melissa Moore was a turning point. I didn’t know her at the time, but she had ordered salads from us and loved them,” Paradise recalls.
Moore’s positive review in local moms’ networks dramatically increased Baller Mom Kitchen’s visibility.
Paradise mentions, “I think we went from like 120 people following us on Facebook to 500 in a weekend.”
Since then, the business has continued to expand, catering to a growing community of families needing healthy meal options.
Baller Mom Kitchen’s menu has over 150 rotating dishes, with offerings that change weekly.
The menu features baked casseroles, keto bowls, salads, pastas, and Tex-Mex staples like chicken quesadillas.
Of the numerous dishes available, some items have held onto their popularity since the inception of the business, including chicken spaghetti, country salad, and a Tex-Mex bowl.
With an unwavering commitment to family dining and community support, Paradise has transformed her passion for cooking into a thriving business that benefits local families.
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