• Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Food & Drinks

This Mother-Daughter Duo Teamed Up To Bring Their Signature Chicken and Waffle Mix To Our Homes

For over 25 years family, friends and celebrities have enjoyed Mama LaVerne’s Chicken & Waffles.
This Mother-Daughter Duo Teamed Up To Bring Their Signature Chicken and Waffle Mix To Our Homes
By Kimberly Wilson · Updated March 1, 2021

We stan generational wealth building. For 58-year-old fitness guru Donna Richardson-Joyner and her 80-year old mother LaVerne Richardson, the launch of Mama LaVerne’s Chicken, Waffles and Pancake Seasoning and Baking Mixes is not only to bring delicious food into our homes, but doing just this — passing down a generational legacy. 

For over 25 years family, friends and celebrities have enjoyed Mama LaVerne’s Chicken & Waffles, and now for the first time ever, they’ve packaged this rich family legacy for consumers to cook at home. Now you don’t have to go to a restaurant to experience this culturally rich cuisine, because you can prepare this easy to cook recipe — which retails in stores this month, just in time for Black History Month.

Mama Laverne’s recipe stems from a rich family tradition that was started with soul food Sundays, just like the movie, at her grandmother’s house. After church everyone enjoyed food, fun and fellowship. Later Mama LaVerne started serving her signature Chicken & Waffles at gatherings from coast to coast.

“We’ve been doing this for 25 years, just blessing our family, friends and even celebrities (such as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The O’Jays and more), around the country, with Mama LaVerne’s signature dish, which is the chicken and waffles,” says Donna Richardson-Joyner. “It really started with us gathering as a family and her cooking the chicken and waffles. You go to church or brunch, and it reminded me of the movie Soul Food, everyone getting around the table. That’s what I grew up with, and that’s what I experienced. So you have this beautiful soul food dish that she put her own signature on, and this combination is so beautiful. I call it “delicious, homemade joy.” You have the savory and the sweetness and it’s all combined in one. It’s joyful and it brings comfort to people.”

“It’s always been a joy for me to cook the chicken and waffles,” continues Mama LaVerne Richardson. “That made me feel really good.”

For many years LaVerne’s daughter, Donna served as her sous chef until her mother passed down this chicken and waffle family recipe to her on a hand written piece of paper so she can share it with the world. Her recipe even won the honor of “Best Chicken & Waffles” on the Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage Cruise.

“I like cooking and my mom cooked for us all the time and she had her favorite recipes,” says Mama LaVerne Richardson. “One thing we got upset about with ourselves as children, is that we didn’t think to ask our mom to write her recipes down. So when Donna would become my little assistant in cooking the chicken and waffles and pancakes, I said I’m going to share this with you.”

The soulful adaptation of this famous recipe began in the 1930’s with the excitement of the Harlem Renaissance. However, the 80 years young, LaVerne Richardson has given her own personal twist to this savory soul food combination. Now with it pre-packaged, you can get homemade chicken and waffles and it’s easy to make, and you can have it prepared in less than 30 minutes.

“The pandemic really gave us time to work together and to concentrate on the chicken and waffles, and what we wanted to do with it,” says Mama LaVerne. “We came up with the pre-mix flour mix and put our product out there for people to be able to enjoy… I look forward to seeing the progress with the new product that we’ve been able to put out.”

When reflecting on the purpose of the new mother-daughter venture, Richardson describes it as “enriching people’s connection through food for the soul.” Whether at the table in person or virtual, traditions can continue to carry on.

“Growing up, whether it was Grandma’s table, our family’s table or a friend’s table, we would gather to enjoy some good food, to talk, to share family history, to discuss the news, to play cards, to celebrate — all of which strengthened our bond with each other and created memories we treasure,” says Richardson. “When I look back I can appreciate being in the presence of generations and listening to their testimonials of how faith, family and fortitude brought them through hardships to victory. I stand on the shoulders of greatness and receive the baton that has been passed down to me. I want to raise the bar and past the baton to the next generation. Food was the backdrop then and it is still now.”

To purchase Mama LaVerne’s Chicken, Waffles and Pancake Seasoning and Baking Mixes visit www.DonnaRichardson.com.

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now