Detroit Born.
The Black Apron Story
Rooted in Detroit, The Black Apron is built on two simple truths: people remember good food, and hard-working folks deserve a meal worth sitting down for.
Leigh’s been cooking since he was 7 and the passion’s never left him. For over 25 years, friends, family, and colleagues said he should start his own business. Long before The Black Apron had a name, people were asking for his dishes for special occasions. His cooking built a reputation the old-fashioned way - word of mouth and folks kept coming back for their favorites.
But this business didn’t just come from the kitchen. It also came from the road.
After more than 30 years in transportation and logistics, Leigh watched colleagues burn through their lunch breaks driving to fast food places, rushing back to work with meals that were mediocre at best - sometimes eating in the car just to make it back on time.
A lifelong Detroiter, Leigh’s lived from California to Egypt and Dubai - places with their own beauty, energy, and character - yet Detroit has always carried the unmistakable flavor of home. That same spirit shapes The Black Apron: food made with love, personality, and real respect for the people it serves.
Grandma Julia’s Georgia Lemonade
Six generations. One recipe. Never written down.
This lemonade recipe was made by my grandmother, “Mom”, who got it from her mother. It traveled with her from the South during The Great Migration north in the 1920’s. “Mom” then passed it down to my mother and the generations after - a 100 years just in Detroit.
Such a simple thing as a recipe yet it holds the history and movement of an entire family.