lucy jackson “momma lucy”
The south on a plate - est. 1947
In 1947 Lucy Jackson, a self-taught cook decided to open her own restaurant. While working on developing a name for the business, she received some uncommon inspiration from a couple of sources. First, while on a trip to California, she saw a picture of a bee on a large moving sign, and viewing it as a sign, decided to name her restaurant after it.
Shortly thereafter, she was moved to help an African missionary by providing ahot meal for her. The missionary was previously in another well known restaurant, but couldn’t afford to buy anything to eat. She was told, “Go down to Busy Bee, Momma Lucy will feed you!”. The missionary was so refreshed and enjoyed the meal so much that she was moved to encourage the aspiring entrepreneur that because of her kindness, her business would always be busy, and that it would always be blessed. It was these two encounters that inspired the now-famous name “Busy Bee.” After enjoying more than two decades of lasting success, Lucy decided to retire by selling the business to two investors from the real estate and newspaper industries. Because the partners did not have the time and access to efficiently run their restaurant business, they in turn decided to sell the company to Tracy’s father in the early 80′s.
THE ORIGINAL BUSY BEE
ESTABLISHED IN 1947.
owner & Head Chef, tracy gates
the new queen bee.
ALTHOUGH TRACY GATES CAME FROM A FAMILY OF SOUTHERN COOKS, SHE NEVER IMAGINED OWNING ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS RESTAURANTS IN ATLANTA. HER FATHER MILTON, A NATIVE OF VINE CITY, WAS A LOYAL CUSTOMER AT BUSY BEE CAFÉ AND HAD ASPIRATIONS OF OWNING IT ONE DAY.
SERVING AS A CHEF IN THE KOREAN WAR, MILTON REMAINED PASSIONATE ABOUT COOKING AND WANTED TO LEAVE A MEANINGFUL INHERITANCE TO HIS THREE CHILDREN. MILTON PURCHASED THE RESTAURANT IN 1981 DURING TRACY’S FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE AT ALABAMA A AND M UNIVERSITY. ONCE TRACY FINISHED COLLEGE IN 1986, MILTON ASKED HER TO COME HOME TO WORK IN THE RESTAURANT THE FOLLOWING YEAR. WITHOUT HESITATION, TRACY RETURNED TO ATLANTA TO LEND A HELPING HAND.
ALTHOUGH TRACY DID NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, SHE WAS DETERMINED TO LEARN THE ROPES OF THE BUSINESS. SHE LEANED ON THE STAFF AT BUSY BEE TO TEACH HER EVERYTHING SHE NEEDED TO KNOW. FROM WASHING DISHES TO PROCESSING MEAT, TRACY OVERCAME EVERY OBSTACLE THAT WAS THROWN HER WAY. ADDITIONALLY, TRACY CONTINUED HER FATHER’S MISSION TO “KICK THE CAN OUT OF THE KITCHEN” AND FOCUSED HER EFFORTS ON CREATING AUTHENTIC SOUL FOOD WITH FRESH INGREDIENTS JUST LIKE MISS LUCY DID WHEN SHE OPENED THE RESTAURANT. TRACY ALSO INCORPORATED FAMILY RECIPES INTO THE MENU, SUCH AS HER GRANDMOTHER’S METHOD OF BRINING CHICKEN OVERNIGHT. AFTER SPENDING YEARS PERFECTING THE RECIPE, THE DISH IS NOW THE STAR OF BUSY BEE’S MENU.
WHILE WORKING IN THE RESTAURANT ONE THURSDAY, REVEREND HOSEA WILLIAMS CALLED TRACY OVER TO HIS REGULAR BOOTH AND SAID, “YOUNG LADY, IF YOU KEEP THIS FOOD CONSISTENT, PEOPLE WILL COME” AND THAT HAS BEEN HER GOAL EVER SINCE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, TRACY LEARNED HOW TO TREAT EACH CUSTOMER WITH SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY FROM MISS JULIA MAE, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL WAITRESSES AT BUSY BEE CAFÉ AND THE SOUL OF THE RESTAURANT.
NEARLY FORTY YEARS LATER, TRACY HAS TAKEN THE BUSINESS TO NEW HEIGHTS. FROM PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES TO WORLD LEADERS, PEOPLE TRAVEL NEAR AND FAR TO PAY A VISIT TO THE ICONIC BUSY BEE CAFÉ. THE RESTAURANT HAS ALSO CONTINUED TO GARNER NATIONAL RECOGNITION. MOST RECENTLY, BUSY BEE WON THE 2022 JAMES BEARD AMERICA’S CLASSIC AWARD, MAKING IT THE FIRST RESTAURANT IN ATLANTA TO EARN THIS ACCOLADE.
TRACY CONTINUES TO RUN BUSY BEE CAFÉ WITH THE SAME WORK ETHIC AND VALUES HER FATHER AND MOTHER, GEORGIA GATES INSTILLED IN HER. TRACY IS ALSO COMMITTED TO PASSING DOWN THOSE LESSONS TO HER STAFF, SO THE LEGACY OF BUSY BEE CAFÉ CONTINUES BEYOND THE GATES FAMILY. TRACY’S PASSION FOR SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY AND MAINTAINING BUSY BEE CAFÉ’S RICH LEGACY ARE A FEW OF THE MANY REASONS WHY SHE IS BEING INDUCTED INTO THE 2023 ATLANTA HOSPITALITY HALL OF FAME.