Abadir’s: dream of Demopolis native and focus of mission-driven food service

What started as a “grand venture, an idea that you might want to do one day” has become a reality for Sarah Cole. Not only has she opened her own business, but she has started a nonprofit to benefit the people of her adopted town.

Cole, the daughter of Cleveland and Margaret Cole of Demopolis, worked in restaurants for many of her early jobs. The thought of opening a restaurant was just a dream.

Cole earned her undergraduate degree from the University of West Alabama, and after getting her master’s degree in community journalism, she worked for the Anniston Star and the Huntsville times. But she came to realize, “I really hate to be on a computer.”

Taking a leap of faith, she moved to Pittsburgh, Pa. There she ran a farmer’s market and worked in a library and a bakery. While she had friends in Pittsburgh and an active life, she came to realize, “I wasn’t a part of that community.” Pittsburg, she said, was “a refresh period.”

So, she came back to Alabama. “This is my home, and this is my community.”

Two years ago, she settled in Greensboro where she found and bought a Victorian cottage that at first worked as her home, kitchen and headquarters for her food service Abadir’s. “It seemed like everything just lined up.” She now works out of a commercial kitchen in Greensboro.

Cole took two weeks renovating the kitchen to suit her needs and then spent several more weeks testing recipes she learned while watching her mother in the kitchen. In October 2020 she announced on social media that she was ready to invite people to try out her blend of Egyptian and Southern cooking, “a nod to how I grew up eating,” she said.

Her first patrons ate for free, although donations were accepted to help cover her costs. Since then, her business has spread far afield. She has opened pop-up restaurants both at her home and then in Selma, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery and Birmingham.

With the success of her business Cole discovered she used all the skills she had learned in her previous work. “I do every job I’ve (ever) had with Abadir’s,” she laughed.

Sharing her skills with her Demopolis hometown is also in the plans of the 2007 Demopolis High School graduate. She may start with a booth at the Farmer’s Market, but holding lunches and dinners at pop-up locations also is in the future.

As she worked to grow her business, Cole also was looking for way to connect with her community. She started the Black Belt Food Project, a nonprofit organization working to build a stronger, more inclusive environment for children and adults in rural Alabama. Its mission is to provide greater opportunities for growth, nourishment and connection through food-based educational experiences.

Her partners include Project Horseshoe Farms, the Auburn Rural Studio, Hale County Extension Office and Hale County Hospital.

All of this is an extension of Abadir’s, she explained. Eventually it will be a full-service restaurant but will continue as a “mission-driven eatery,” she said.

Black Belt Food Project is in the process of opening Black Belt Kitchen, an educational center with a focus on food studies in Greensboro. The center will host regular classes and workshops for individuals of all ages and backgrounds and will target several interests and issues.

Cole is looking to host workshops led by local, regional and national chefs and educators. She envisions students exploring food through preparation and classes, nutritional programming, food history and culture studies and culinary exploration. 

“We’re working with local organizations such as Greensboro Public School Systems, the Hale County Extension Service, and our local SNAP benefits center to ensure accessibility to all members of this diverse community,” she said on the Black Belt Food Project website.

The organization also hopes to “provide food-based assistance services to those in need, offering more nutritious meals as well as access to better food options,” she said.

“We’re not trying to tell people how to eat,” Cole continued. “We’re trying to reconnect people to food in a way that is different from what they’re used to.” She doesn’t use the terms “healthy” or “unhealthy,” she said. “Instead, we focus on food by examining it from all angles while working toward a more connected community.”

The Black Belt Food Project has found a permanent space for its Kitchen, “which is why we’re seeking donations,” said Cole “We’ve been actively working to buy the property for four months and have been building out the new space for two months.”

Anyone interested can check out the project’s website for more information or logon to eatabadirs.com.