A Flavor-full Life: How Vera Stewart Cooks Up Success

No one would ever accuse Vera Stewart’s dishes, or the tv host and caterer herself, of lacking flavor. Stewart has always had the perfect amount of spice to get the job done and deliver at a high standard.

On top of filming episodes of her long-running cooking and lifestyle show, Stewart again catered for hundreds at the Master’s tournament in April, launched her third cookbook in May and is preparing for year 23 of Vera’s Cooking Camp in Augusta, Georgia.

Her motto, “No matter what you do, do it in good taste,” means everything with the VERA label is created with her signature level of care and attention.

Keeping It Fresh

After 14 seasons of The VeryVera Show, Stewart enjoys the challenge of continuing to inspire viewers to get in the kitchen. She lets fresh, seasonal produce shape her planning, crafting recipes and themes around what’s in season for special occasions and holidays. She knows not to follow the latest fads or trends.

“I’m a traditionalist. My favorite dishes are tried and true – and they always have a story,” she says.
 
To breathe new life into something familiar, Stewart says she adds one new ingredient for a simple twist.
 
“Your dish should have meaning and bring comfort,” she adds. “I have recipe cards that, when I pull them out of the box, I feel like I’m with that person.”

When reflecting on her personal favorites, Stewart chooses carrot cake and old-fashioned pound cake.

Ever the businesswoman, she also brings up the universal classic chicken and wild rice casserole, one of the dishes that launched her brand in Costco.

“I went there with samples and had a group taste my recipes. And we got the purchase order soon after,” she recalls.

Building the Business

Before cooking for a television audience in 72 markets across 32 states, plus an online following on Facebook and Instagram, Stewart operated a catering business where she developed her VeryVera brand. Her consistent quality and Southern staples had people clamoring for more, and the business expanded into mail order. National brands began to take notice, and her recipes began appearing in Southern Living and other major publications.

Showing tenacity and faith in her product, Stewart set her sights on O Magazine. She mailed Oprah cakes twice a year for 10 years before being featured.

“If you believe in what you’re doing and what you have to offer, you cannot say ‘well, they never replied,’ and quit trying,” she says.

This type of passion and leadership inspires others around her, including her banker, James Whitehead, a premier private banker for SouthState.

“Vera wants everyone around her to think bigger,” he says. “She communicates well, sets goals and holds herself accountable.”

Whitehead manages the banking side of Stewart’s businesses, streamlining cash flow management, handling wires and any necessary loans. Working with a business owner with a schedule as full as Stewart often requires Whitehead to go the extra mile to meet demand. But knowing Stewart’s impact on the Augusta community makes the effort more than worth it.

“She is a great leader who wants her employees to think bigger, values partnerships in our community and, most importantly, pours into young people so they can be productive citizens,” Whitehead says.
 

Training Up the Next Generation

Stewart’s third cookbook is themed around the idea of “Generations.” For Vera, sharing wisdom with the younger generation takes on a larger scope with her summer cooking school.

“The idea started around the kitchen table,” Stewart recalls, “It began as a way to diversify the business in the summer months.”

Campers at VeryVera Cooking Camp learn far more than following a recipe. The school teaches entrepreneurship, business acumen, etiquette and financial literacy. Summer after summer, parents are wowed by how much their children learn about both food and finance.

First a Home Economics teacher, Stewart couldn’t be prouder of the life lessons the campers gain over the summer.

“The kids are all in. The skills they learn will set them apart in interviews one day,” she adds.

Camp also provides summer jobs for area teens, many of whom stay with Stewart through college, soaking up her expertise. She also provided jobs through her mail order and catering companies. It was here where SouthState Commercial Relationship Manager Will Godwin met Stewart and developed a lifelong friendship.
 
Godwin worked for Stewart for five years, learning the ins and outs of the VeryVera empire. His desire to do the job well and teach the younger staff impressed Stewart from the start.

“He never left that model of service. He still has that attitude today,” she says.

Godwin says it’s Stewart who piqued his interest in entering the business world.

“I learned so many life lessons from Vera. How to go the extra mile, how to lead well and doing what it takes to get the job done,” he recalls.

Stewart’s full plate doesn’t allow for many visits to SouthState’s Augusta branch, but she often brings one of Godwin’s favorite treats when she stops by.

“Watching behind the scenes all these years, she sets high expectations for herself and others,” Godwin says. “Whatever hurdle she faces, she does what it takes to figure out a solution."

After so many years, Stewart says slowing down to a “simmer” isn’t on the table. She has her eye on more speaking gigs, where she talks about succeeding in business, expanding the summer camp to more locations and making the next season of The VeryVera Show the tastiest yet.

No matter where Stewart is and what she’s cooking up, you can bet it’ll be seasoned to perfection and presented with Southern flair.

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