What started out as a “plate sale” to fund a family reunion is now Pannie-George’s Kitchen, a family-owned restaurant that serves more than great soul food.

By Catherine Haynes

So Key, along with her mother, Lorine Askew, and her three sisters—Jerelene Askew ’04, Kia Tyndale and Rewa Echols— invested in a vacant storefront on South College and attended courses at Auburn’s Harbert College of Business. In the spirit of family, they decided to name their new restaurant “Pannie-George’s Kitchen” in tribute to the elders who taught them how to cook and hosted them for every occasion throughout their childhoods.

“The name concept itself is honoring our grandparents— Miss Pannie, whose real name is Mary Inez, and my grandfather George,” said Key. “George is deceased, but Miss Pannie still lives. She’s 92, and she’s the one who makes the banana pudding and the sweet potato pie.”

Pannie-George’s Kitchen has been a fixture on South College ever since. In its 18 years of existence, it has served a healthy take on southern cooking to an array of loyal customers, including legendary Auburn Football Coach Pat Dye and Heisman Trophy winners Bo Jackson ’95 and Cam Newton ’15.

Another notable customer is Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala. After the sisters noticed Stevenson stopping by Pannie-George’s on a regular basis, they struck up a conversation and developed a relationship with him. “He’s another brother from another mother,” Key said of Stevenson.

Their friendship with Stevenson resulted in the restaurant’s second location. Opened in 2020 in the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum—a museum that provides a comprehensive history of the United States with a focus on the legacy of slavery—the Montgomery location also serves as Pannie-George’s Leadership Academy, a comprehensive culinary arts internship program designed to give high school students hands-on experience working in a restaurant.

Mary “Miss Pannie” Inez and George Taylor. At age 92, Miss Pannie still makes the banana pudding and sweet potato pie for the restaurant.

“We try to reach out to a lot of the children in the community. We try to teach them about what it is to have a work ethic.”

Pannie-George’s has developed partnerships over the years with various military and culinary schools, colleges and local businesses to help its students make connections and continue to invest in their futures.

“When those kids get ready to graduate from school, because of our partnerships with those other entities, wherever their interests lie, we can actually connect them with somebody in those areas and try to set them up for scholarships and different things so they can further enhance their future,” said Key.

The restaurant hopes to eventually expand the Leadership Academy to Auburn and develop an internship program for Auburn students as well. They’ve already built relationships with countless different entities on campus, from the football team to the College of Nursing. Whether it’s catering events or speaking to organizations on campus, Pannie-George’s Kitchen has been immersed in the Auburn community since its opening.

“It’s about giving,” said Key. “I look at this business, and it’s not just about cooking, but food as a ministry. It’s something about the food itself—and the love that is put in our food—that actually translates into more than just physical, but actual spiritual experiences.”

Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Maple Butter

Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake

Crumble Topping:
¾ cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Blueberry Layer:
2 ½ cups frozen wild blueberries *see notes for fresh blueberries*
3 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ lemon, juiced

Vanilla Cake:
1 ½ cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour *see notes for measuring*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large whole eggs room temperature, whisked together
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature

Step 1: Lightly butter a square 8×8 baking pan and line it with parchment paper on all sides. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.

Step 2: Make the Crumb
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and brown sugar Add the melted butter and mix until crumbs form. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Step 3: Prep the Blueberries
In a medium bowl, combine the frozen blueberries, sugar, flour, and lemon juice until evenly coated. Set aside.

Step 4: Make the Cake
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Scrape down the bowl. Slowly stream in the whisked eggs and vanilla, mixing very well after each addition. Do not do this too quickly or the mixture will curdle.

Add in half of the dry ingredients and mix on low until almost combined. Then mix in the
buttermilk, followed by the remainder of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Then evenly spread the blueberries over the batter. Finally, sprinkle the crumb topping over the berries.

Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until the middle is puffy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for 20 minutes on a wire cooling rack, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely.

Notes:
*To substitute fresh blueberries, use 2 cups (280 g) and bake for 55-60 minutes.

*Measure your flour properly. This is our #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!