Jo Roberts and Penny Burkey are partners in The Barley Loaf.  They are also mother and daughter.

 Jo was literally born into the restaurant business. At 12 she was waiting tables at her father’s soda shop on Sunset and Vine in Southern California.  From there she cooked and waited tables at her daddy’s next restaurant called Le Petite Gourmet.  She raised four kids while always creating the most amazing meals.  She instinctively knew not only how to feed a crowd but how to present it both appealing and beautiful.  She also created the most fun and unusual birthday cakes for them.  Her family has a saying that goes… “Food is Love!”

 In 1980 while putting together her son’s wedding, she decided to start The Barley Loaf.  Her expertise in catering and wedding cakes came together wonderfully.

 Penny Burkey is Jo’s youngest daughter.  As you can see she was also brought up in the Gourmet Food Business.  There is a whole crew of gourmet cooks on both sides of her family, and she quickly followed suit and began to help out in the kitchen.  She used to come up behind her mom and add a dash more salt and definitely more garlic!  She also taught herself how to make and decorate wedding cakes just by watching her mom.

 Fresh out of high school she began working at a Bridal Shop and fell in love with the wedding business.  She does wedding coordinating and enjoys the whole wedding experience. Her organization skills have been gleaned from her mother also.  You can usually find her with a clipboard and some project going on.

 Jo and Penny are the perfect partnership.  They both know how to help the client put together, plan for and make their event the most successful it can be. Their food tastes incredible and even better, it looks incredible!  Their attention to detail shows itself in the food presentation and the buffet table décor.  It is beyond the normal expectations.

 “Food is definitely Love!”