BARRETT, Texas — Amid the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl and under the glow of lights powered by a humming generator, Barrett Station personal chef and caterer Ticara Cali King vigilantly watches three separate pots, stirring occasionally until they reach the perfect temperature.
"If I make it, it’ll stay hot," King said as she carefully eyed one pot and then the next.
Tonight the menu is classic.
"Spaghetti, I’ve got corn, I’ve got some smothered green beans."
And don't forget dessert.
"I even bought cake. Hey, my sweet tooth," she said with a big smile.
King said she's fortunate to have a generator while many of her neighbors have been left in the dark. That's why during this trying time she's taken it upon herself to feed them.
"Everybody knows me for cooking, so why not cook for the elderly?" King said. "And then I’ll cook for the kids after that."
Each to-go box is carefully packed by hand by her son Jaylend Onezine. Her heaping portions get a side of bread and a piece of cake before the lid is closed and the box bagged, usually with multiple meals for different family members.
"Cooking to me is my form of showing you that I love you, I care for you," King told us.
And that she does.
King, Jaylend and a group of her friends are going door-to-door, delivering the hot meals with a warm smile.
"If you remain positive or I can say, ‘Hey, I’m going to give you a smile,’ or 'I’m going to give you a hug,' or ‘How you doing?’ or whatever, that’s going to make them feel a little bit better about their day," King said.
Many of King's neighbors are older and have been members of the community she's known for years. She said Alfred, who was sitting on a chair in his driveway when she arrived, was the town mechanic until he retired. After receiving his lunch, he was grateful for King's generosity.
"Everybody sticks together and helps one another."
But King hasn't stopped at her immediate neighborhood. Her longtime friend Elliott Rolls and his family felt the devastating effects of Beryl firsthand.
“We were actually just waking up when our wall was ripped out. It was a little terrifying, shocking, it was completely unexpected," Rolls said. "And having her hit me up and say she was making some food for us, it definitely makes us feel good.”
Driving around her neighborhood, it appears there is still a lot of work to do.
“It’s trees everywhere," King said.
She's not making one meal a day, she's making three: breakfast, lunch and dinner. She hopes that her example will inspire others to help in any way they can.
And while the power of Mother Nature has been on full display, King is proving that humanity might be even more powerful.
"I feel like kindness is actually stronger because the hurricane is temporary. People are always going to remember who was there to help them in their worst times," King said.
King has already served more than 80 meals while feeding the soul of her community.