By Terynce Garner, Staff Reporter
As a young girl, Mary Elizabeth McCallum learned to cook in the tiny kitchen of her home in Jackson, Mississippi. Under the watchful eye of her mother, McCallum learned to master the recipes that would one day be enjoyed by countless residents of the city of Carson.
McCallum first moved from Jackson to Los Angeles in 1960, arriving in the City of Angels with little more than her cookware and determination. Cooking up her recipes and serving hungry Angelenos out of the trunk of her car, her food brought a piece of Mississippi to LA , helping her to become a beloved member of the community.
Finding an affordable place was a challenge even then, and McCallum struggled to find somewhere she could set up her own brick-and-mortar restaurant. That was until she met Mercedes Hall, a local entrepreneur. Hall had the resources and know-how to help McCallum get her restaurant off the ground, and in 1964, M&M Soul Food opened its doors to hungry customers in Carson.
Located at East Albertoni Street, the restaurant has become a cornerstone of the Carson community. When customers first walk through the door, they are often welcomed with the scent of simmering collard greens. M&M customers told The Bulletin some of the savory and spicy scents coming out of the kitchen are enough to take them back in time.
“It reminds me of home, and my grandmother’s cooking,” said longtime customer Sheria Patterson, who has been coming to M&M for 15 years. “All the smells take me back to her kitchen.”
M&M is currently owned by Tamera Gix, McCallum’s niece. McCallum made magic in the kitch, Gix told The Bulletin, but her special ingredient was the way she made customers feel seen and appreciated whenever they came to the restaurant.
McCallum’s philosophy was that cooking was “always more about the connection,” according to Gix, who said it wasn’t unusual for her aunt to accommodate special requests.
“If someone wanted spaghetti, even if it wasn’t on the menu, she would make it for them,” Gix recalled. “For her, every meal was a chance to make someone feel at home, and she’d do whatever it took to spread that warmth.”
McCallum’s commitment to customer service is carried on by M&M’s staff, who take time to make sure every customer feels like they’re part of the family.
“We want everyone who comes in here to feel like they’re coming home,” said server Theresia Gix, another of McCollum’s nieces. “It’s about creating a welcoming space for customers.”
Running a small, family-owned business is not without its share of challenges, of course. The restaurant has expanded its take-out options to accommodate changes in the way customers expect to be served these days. This has helped to curb wait times at the restaurant.
Although McCallum died in 1998, her family has remained committed to maintaining the authenticity of the restaurant and its signature flavors. For many residents of the South Bay, that authenticity has made the restaurant a go-to spot for Southern cuisine.
“She treated all her guests special, and made them want to return,” said Tamera Gix, “ It was about making people feel welcome, which is what we are still trying to do today.”
