Written by Sara Caron | photography by Jose Leiva
Bab’s Table LLC – named after owner-operator Joanie Silfen’s mother, Barbara “Babs” Marienhoff, and the family’s motto of sharing an open table – has embodied the spirit of sharing delicious and soul-serving food since 2023. With fond memories of growing up helping her mother in the kitchen making and bringing food to family members, friends and coworkers, Joanie has spent her life sharing recipes and traditions. Babs taught her not only the trades of the kitchen but also the ways of sharing love and laughter with her community. With the launch of Bab’s Table LLC, Joanie and her mother – still an active part of the business – are building memories and connections, one plate at a time.
Family traditions
Joanie’s mom, Babs, worked in the Technical Division of Human Resources for New York Life Insurance for more than 27 years. She never considered being a professional caterer, but her food was requested by coworkers for meetings all the time.
“She loved making food, and people loved seeing her coming,” Joanie says of her mother. “It always put a smile on my face to see how she touched people through her kindness, and I took advantage of always being by her side.”
Joanie has wonderful memories of growing up and learning her family’s traditions. She spent many days alongside her mother, aunts, and grandmother—sharing music, laughter, and praise. She feels blessed to have been raised in a great home, where there was plenty of kindness and a love of home cooking.
Some of Joanie’s fondest memories are from spending time in her grandmother’s home. Although the children did tedious work in the dining room, shredding the cheese or snipping the ends off of the green beans, they would also watch and listen to what was going on in the kitchen.
“We would sneak in and out, listening and stealing tastes here and there,” Joanie reminisces. “My sister and I were raised and trained to be excellent taste testers.”
Sharing love and food
Friends, neighbors, and even strangers would sit around the table of Joanie’s home—especially on Sundays—which is why she plans to launch “Bab’s Sunday Suppers” in the Winter of 2024. Bab’s Table will offer a community gathering, a place for people to come together and break bread once a month, with a set menu and at a reasonable price. Joanie’s grandmother was the inspiration for this concept.
“My grandmother would feed the homeless and the church,” Joanie says. “Every Wednesday at noon, she would attend a gathering for prayer and for the community, and she would feed you right after.”
Joanie shares that her grandmother named her special chicken wings “Noon Day Wings.” The recipe has been passed down to Joanie, and she offers it on her catering menu to this day.
Family traditions
Like her mother, Joanie’s professional journey did not start in the kitchen. After finishing college at Devry Institute, Joanie went to work for a computer programming and design firm. She held different jobs while working in Manhattan, including working as a hiring manager for a technical placement company, as well as a nursing assistant for a dementia unit in New Jersey, then moving to Maine in 2012. However, she always felt like something was missing, like her passion was not being fulfilled.
Joanie’s mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 and says that was her wake-up call.
“She is my golden girl and my blessing!” Joanie says of her mom. “I started Bab’s Table because I almost lost her – it was almost like God saying, ‘What are you waiting for!?’”
After the pandemic and the close call with her mother, Joanie decided that life is too short to wait. She felt the best way to honor her mother was through cooking and sharing with her community. Thankfully, Babs is now cancer-free.
Much of the inspiration for the dishes that Joanie and Babs have created comes from a rich history and family background. Joanie’s maternal grandmother was from the Caribbean, and her maternal grandfather from the South. Her father’s family were Native American and Irish, and her husband is Jewish and has ancestors from Germany. Their family’s diverse origins bring a wealth of variety to the recipes. If you ask Joanie, she will tell you that there is a secret ingredient in every one.
“Love is our secret ingredient!” Joanie says. “Everything is made with love!”
Soup to nuts
Whether catering corporate events, private parties, or just good old-fashioned family meals, Bab’s Table LLC loves to share their food and the joy of homemade cooking. Bab’s Table offers “Soups to Nuts,” including soups, salads, starters, entrees, side dishes, non-alcoholic beverages, and most importantly, desserts!
Every meal is made from fresh ingredients by Joanie and her staff who are ServeSafe certified, licensed, and insured. They can accommodate larger gatherings, such as weddings and corporate events, as well as smaller casual or formal events.
With wedding season upon us, Bab’s Table is looking forward to catering events both small and large, as well as creating beautiful wedding baskets for the guests and the wedding parties. ‘Bab’s Baskets’ start at very reasonable prices and can be customized and tailored to the basket receiver’s preferences or for any special occasion.
With a rich family history of serving delicious and soul-serving food for generations, Joanie and her inspirational mother, ‘Babs,’ are bringing their tasty talents to the LA community and beyond, sharing love and laughter along the way—just like generations before them.
Bab’s Table, LLC
Lewiston | babstablellc.com
