After 32 years of serving the Coast community, Calvin Coleman is hanging up his chef’s hat.
The acclaimed chef officially retired and closed the doors to Naomi’s Catering on June 30, concluding a multi-decade legacy for the Gulfport-based business.
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A Coast native, Coleman was the second-generation owner of Naomi’s — taking the reins from his mother, Naomi Coleman, in 1994 and continuing her tradition of quality and service.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of West Florida, Coleman began his food-and-beverage career in 1981 at Scenic Hills Country Club in Pensacola, Florida. His professional background also includes time with Conrad Hilton Hotels in Italy, France, Great Britain and Germany. Additionally, he has worked for a few independently owned, upscale restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois.
“I am filled with gratitude for the special moments and memories we’ve created together. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of the special days in your lives.”
The chef further honed his special events and catering skills while he was employed with J.R. Management of Chicago. As part of his duties, he served in event planning capacities with both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Bears, where he catered to well-known sports figures and other celebrities. From 1990-1993, Coleman worked in the special events department at Mike Ditka’s Restaurant and City Lights Nightclub, as well as the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2002, he opened the Markham Café and took over management of The Crystal Ballroom in the historic Markham Building in downtown Gulfport. This venue remained a popular event site until its demise in Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Despite losing his home, restaurant and catering facility in Katrina, Coleman formed a team of restaurateurs and caterers that provided food service to first responders, including thousands of linemen who came to restore power. In 2012, he was picked to represent Mississippi in London, cooking seafood for the Olympics as part of British Petroleum’s attempt to help promote the recovery of the Gulf Coast and its seafood industry.
For 20 years, Coleman was a member of the board of directors of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association. In that capacity, he served as chairperson for Chefs of the Coast and is a four-time board past president. He has also represented the MHRA Gulf Coast on the advisory board for the Gulfport High School Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, as well as the state Restaurant Association.
Under the chef’s leadership, Naomi’s Catering received a Tapestry Award from The Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce in 2005 and 2006. His peers also named him the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association’s “Caterer of the Year” in eight different years. Coleman also has received the City of Biloxi’s Service Appreciation Award and was picked as the Coast’s Best Caterer in the Sun Herald’s “Best of” competitions on six occasions.
Coleman is a member of the International Catering Association, the Mississippi Coast Restaurant and Beverage Association, the Gulf Coast Business Council, the Biloxi Bay Chamber and the Gulf Coast Chamber.
“I am filled with gratitude for the special moments and memories we’ve created together,” Coleman said in a post on the Naomi’s Catering Facebook page. “Thank you for allowing us to be a part of the special days in your lives. Your support has meant the world to us, and it has truly been an honor to serve you.”