The secret to soul food, according to Aliceson Henderson, is love.

The aromas coming from the kitchen of her family-run Cypress restaurant, Henderson’s Soul Food— oxtails simmering in gravy and peach cobbler fresh from the oven—draw customers in as soon as they walk in the door, Aliceson said.

“I want everyone who comes in here to feel like they’re in their own kitchen,” she said. “I want to treat them like family.”

Born and raised in Chicago, Aliceson first arrived on the west Harris County restaurant scene with her husband, Patrick, when they opened Mother’s Southern Cafe on Fry Road just north of I-10. The couple had to shut the eatery down after building codes changed, and they could not afford to bring it up to code, she said.

After working several years for IKON, the contractual print shop for Katy ISD, and as a supervisor at Health Help, Aliceson said she and her husband were ready to try the restaurant business again, opening Henderson’s Soul Food in Cypress last summer.

Helping the duo achieve its dream is restaurant manager and son Khalaan as well as daughter Lazaysha, two of the couple’s seven children.

Raised by her grandparents, Aliceson said she was about 10 years old when her grandmother started calling home from work, teaching her over the telephone how to make dinner.

“She’d say, ‘Take out that chicken and put together these spices,’” Aliceson said.

At Henderson’s, the cooking method is as important as the recipe, Aliceson said. Memories of cooking with her grandmother include learning how to singe feathers off chickens, take corn off the cob and giving greens a thorough washing, she said.

The founders and pastors of Impact Community Church on West Little York Road, where Patrick serves as senior pastor, the Hendersons actually came to the area for their ministry before venturing back into the restaurant business.

The restaurant, which also offers carry-out service, features theme nights such as karaoke on alternate Saturday nights, live jazz night music, open mic night and poetry night. All themed nights are open to the community, Aliceson said.

The dining venue also serves burgers, Chicago-style hot dogs and nachos, she said. The most popular dessert is banana pudding, which frequently sells out, she said.

Although most customers live in the area, Aliceson noted that her restaurant is the only soul food eatery within at least 15 miles. The owners said they hope to reach and share their food with people from all over Houston.