Nanna’s Place: Love, Healing, and Soul Food with Purpose

When Tamera “Tee” Ford founded Nanna’s Place in 2021, it wasn’t just a business; it was a lifeline. Battling Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Tee found herself struggling with depression and fatigue. Her best friend and former catering partner, Jeaneen, encouraged her to get back in the kitchen and take on new clients. What began as a way to stay motivated during treatment evolved into a mission to feed others with love, care, and intention.

“I love to cook,” Tee says. “Getting back to catering pushed me right out of that dark space because I had to focus and put my love into what I do best, cooking.”

That love traces back to her grandmother, affectionately called Nanna, who inspired both the name and spirit of the business. “When you needed one-on-one time with my Nanna, you’d go to her house after church on Sunday. You’d talk through life while she cooked. That’s where I learned recipes, but also how to get through hard times. Cooking was how she showed love, and that same tradition is how I approach food and business.”

Nanna’s Place stands out in Baltimore’s dining scene for its unique mix of soul food and health-conscious innovation. Beyond traditional favorites like stuffed turkey legs, smothered turkey wings, shrimp salad sandwiches, mac and cheese, and candied yams, Tee also caters to chemotherapy patients and others with special dietary needs. She creates modified meals such as pureed, minced, or soft-textured dishes that include immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, ginger, and soursop.

“I know firsthand how treatment can affect your body,” Tee explains. “My meds sometimes caused my blood sugar to spike, even up to the 300s. That’s why it’s so important to watch what you eat, but also to find joy in food again. I want people going through treatment to still feel that ‘Mmmm’ moment when they eat.”

One of Nanna’s Place’s signature healthy dishes is Salmon Nuggets over Lo Mein Noodles, featuring cabbage, broccoli, ginger, turmeric, and a soursop-based sauce, a sweet and sour combination with real health benefits. A tofu or lemon-pepper salmon version is also available for plant-forward diners.

In 2025, Nanna’s Place received third place in the Greater Baltimore Urban League’s Restaurant Accelerator Program (RAP) Pitch Competition and was recognized by the program’s business coaches as “Most Resilient.” The award highlighted Tee’s determination to grow her business while overcoming personal health challenges and serving a unique market of customers with dietary needs.

Looking ahead, Tee envisions Nanna’s Place expanding to serve hospital systems and oncology centers, delivering nutritious meals tailored for patients in recovery. “In a few years, I want us catering in at least four hospitals for cancer patients,” she says.

At the heart of it all is a message as warm as a Sunday dinner at her grandmother’s table:
“I want people to feel the love that goes into every dish, that Whala, Mmmm Mmmm feeling, and to know they’re cared for with every bite.”

To contact Chef Owner Tee for catering, send an email to:
[email protected]

This feature is part of a collaboration between The Baltimore Times and the Greater Baltimore Urban League. Over the next few months, The Baltimore Times will spotlight businesses that participated in GBUL’s Restaurant Accelerator Program (RAP), sponsored by the Pepsi Foundation. Through the program, eight businesses were awarded a total of $80,000 in grant funding and received free business coaching to strengthen their operations and community impact. For more information about RAP, visit GBUL.org.