Armed with an iPhone and a passion for discovering good eats, Emmanuel “Manny” Mervil built a loyal following when he began food blogging on Instagram in 2019.
Under the handle “Everybody’s Gotta Eat,” the Cambridge man posted videos of the meals and drinks he ate at restaurants locally and across the country. He became a go-to source for food recommendations. The account now has 76,000 followers.
Mervil gradually built Everybody’s Gotta Eat into a company that offers catering, marketing services and networking tools. It also hosts pop-up meals and cookouts, runs youth programs and offers resources such as tax help, credit repair, real estate guidance and design workshops.
In December, Mervil established a nonprofit arm of Everybody’s Gotta Eat so he can raise donations to put on community food events and provide assistance to people in marginalized communities. The federal government approved the nonprofit status in December.
“Sometimes we’ll just come out to grill burgers and talk to people – we do it in different communities,” said Mervil, who is 40. “We try to help people and put them in the right direction.”
EGE organizes an annual barbecue that started in August 2020 and features entertainment, vendors and activities for kids. Children get back-to-school supplies, and parents can win prizes.
“They get things that they would need for school like backpacks and sometimes vendors giving away clothes or shoes,” said Manoucheca Lord, 36, the company’s content marketing strategist.
Honoring community service
At the barbecue Mervil presents awards to individuals who stand out for their service to the community. Zina Thompson, founder of Zina’s Hair Salon, received the award last August. She describes her salon – which she has operated for 27 years – as a community space that not only helps clients feel beautiful but connects them with resources that go beyond hair care.
“You don’t just get your hair done,” Thompson said. “If you need a dermatologist, a doctor, if you’re going through something – we’re there to talk to you. So it’s not just about being a stylist. We’re like therapists. That’s how I see it.”
Thompson, who lives in Lynn, was also named “an honorary Cantabrigian” because of how much she gives to the community. She mentors girls with aspirations in entrepreneurship and organizes an annual Thanksgiving Day brunch at the Cambridge Salvation Army.
“We need to help our homeless people, because homeless people sometimes don’t get that meal that we get on the holidays,” she said. “We eat good every day.”
Network of chefs
Everybody’s Gotta Eat has helped provide exposure and growth for those who partner with it. When catering services are requested, Mervil sends out a call to the company’s network of chefs and entertainers, looking for someone to take on the job.
Chef Monte “Busta” Bowens, 52, has grown his business from selling individual plates to catering events with more than 500 guests since joining the network.
“It got me out to a larger crowd,” Bowens said, “because I still was relatively new to catering in Cambridge and new to Massachusetts, so it got my name out there.”
Mervil and some of his team members are part of the Boston XChange program, a nonprofit founded by Celtics player Jaylen Brown that serves underserved communities to grow wealth and celebrate their cultures.
“He’s always striving to make sure that his business is growing and continues to grow and impact people simultaneously,” Lord said.
A savvy businessman
Richard Harding, 52, founder of the Green Soul Cannabis Dispensary, had his grand opening March 28. Mervil played a key role in the event’s marketing and catering efforts.
“He’s a very sophisticated and savvy businessman who understands culture, community and commitment in a way that I haven’t seen in a long time,” Harding said.
Harding has attended several events where Mervil offered services such as catering, organizing and donating food for charitable events.
“I believe he has a limitless amount of talent as it relates to the food world,” Harding said.
Mervil hopes to one day serve his own food from a permanent location.
“We’re thinking about getting into the food truck space and the brick and mortar,” Mervil said, “but we just want to take it one step at a time.”
This story is part of a partnership between Cambridge Day and the Boston University Department of Journalism