Rogue Valley chefs turn friendship into Butter Babes catering business

Alicia Dawn, left, owner of Happy Luncheonette in Medford, and Erica Idso-Weisz of Itty Bitty Acres recently launched Butter Babes, a catering business built around locally grown ingredients and seasonal cooking.( Courtesy of Butter Babes)Erica Idso-Weisz and Alicia Dawn each built businesses around food long before they decided to build one together.Idso-Weisz runs Itty Bitty Acres Farm, growing produce, raising chickens and supplying ingredients to local restaurants. Dawn owns Happy Luncheonette in downtown Medford, where local produce has long been central to the menu. They met after Dawn opened the restaurant in the historic Woolworth Building, where Idso-Weisz also works. A shared philosophy about food and community quickly led to a partnership.Now they're operating Butter Babes Catering, combining Dawn's commercial kitchen with ingredients from Idso-Weisz's organic farm."We both love food and good food," Dawn said. "I feature local organic comfort food that was right up her alley."A salad prepared by Butter Babes Catering features heirloom tomatoes, watermelon radishes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and edible flowers. The Medford catering business emphasizes seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.<br/>( Courtesy of Butter Babes)The partnership grew naturally after both women participated in the chef collective at Side Yard Farm & Kitchen in Phoenix, where local chefs collaborate on dinners and special events.For Idso-Weisz, the business is about more than serving meals."I truly believe in kismet," she said. "When you absolutely zing with folks, it's really incredibly powerful."Their connection extends beyond business. Both credit their grandmothers with shaping how they think about cooking and hospitality, even if the recipes themselves have changed. Dawn still thinks of her grandfather whenever she cooks bacon, while Idso-Weisz recalls her grandmother feeding large groups with freshly fried chicken and homemade chocolate cake.For both women, food remains the excuse. Community is the point.GuestsAlicia DawnErica Idso-Weisz