Chef Dominique Leach is a multifaceted female pitmaster. Though she first got her start learning from award-winning culinary figures in Chicago, she and her wife eventually ventured off to start Leach’s own catering business in 2016 called “Cater to You Events & Drop Offs.”

Though Leach said the catering company experienced growth in its first year, she wanted to build a brand that better reflected her creations. The Lexington Betty brand is named after Leach’s grandmother, Betty King of Lexington, Miss., and the home-cooked meals she would create during Leach’s childhood.

“I bought a food truck to roll out the concept, and it took off … Within a couple of years, that food truck turned into my first brick-and-mortar restaurant which we quickly outgrew and moved to a new, bigger location later on,” Leach said.

Leach offers a variety of barbecue products at retail and wholesale, saying that the Lexington Betty Smokehouse Spicy Betty BBQ Sauce and our Wagyu Andouille Sausage are notably popular. “Everyone loves the bit of kick they offer, and they are versatile cooking items to use in a variety of dishes,” she said.

Aside from her other accolades, Leach has also worked as a Tastemaker for Mariano’s. She said that she had the desire to make her own line for retail, but she didn’t know where to begin.

“I would talk with their team about this and was very encouraged by their support, so once we established the Lexington Betty Foods line with Vander Farmers, they were happy to carry it,” she said.

Leach’s products are currently available at all 44 Mariano’s locations. Her Wagyu Beef Franks are available there, made in partnership with Vander Farms.

The partnership with Vander Farms first began around two years ago, Leach said. Though the original restaurant opened in September 2019, Lexington Betty Smokehouse moved to a new location in February 2020. The Vanders saw the grand reopening of the restaurant, and the partnership took off.

“Since then, we have made Wagyu Burgers, Wagyu Beef Franks, and the Andouille Sausage together, with more to come as we expand on the offerings for Lexington Betty Foods, which was formally launched through this partnership in 2023,” Leach said.

She brought her and Vander Farms’ product to Mariano’s, and they jumped on board. Leach noted that her brand will be looking into both local and national growth opportunities this year.

Chef Leach works to set her business apart, noting its resiliency and customer-first focus.

“Mindful sourcing and cooking everything from scratch are two major hallmarks of the Lexington Betty brand,” she said. “It’s also a welcoming space, where we encourage anyone and everyone to come as you are for a comfort meal like none other.”