When Betty Evans-Beck wheels her signature charcuterie cart into a community event, it’s hard not to stop and grab a nibble.
Overflowing with artisan cheeses, cured meats, fresh fruit, homemade specialties and colorful seasonal treats, the cart has quickly become a favorite at Westchester gatherings. But behind every carefully arranged grazing board and every bite-sized appetizer is a story of family, resilience and finding a way to build a career that fits around the people who matter most.
Just one year after launching Starcuterie, Betty has become a familiar face throughout Westchester. Residents have sampled her creations at community events, school functions and neighborhood celebrations, while her custom charcuterie boards and grazing tables have become increasingly popular for birthdays, parties and special occasions.
For Betty, however, the business was never simply about food. It was about creating a career that allowed her to continue caring for her family while reconnecting with a profession she has loved for decades.
“I’ve always worked in hospitality,” she says.
Her résumé includes nearly every side of the restaurant industry. She’s worked both front-of-house and back-of-house, managed San Francisco’s famed Harry’s Bar and the Starlight Room, and later served as general manager of Real Food Daily in Santa Monica before focusing on having a family.
Life instantly got better when she and her husband, Justin, welcomed their two sons, Evan and Brewer. Brewer, who is on the autism spectrum and attends WISH Community School, requires significant therapy and support. For years, that became her full-time job.
Now, with Brewer entering sixth grade and becoming more independent, she finally felt there was room to pursue something of her own again.
“I needed something that was very flexible,” Betty says. “I figured going into business for myself would be easier because I could set my own schedule.”
Charcuterie turned out to be the perfect fit.
Unlike opening a restaurant, it required relatively little kitchen space while allowing her to draw on years of hospitality experience and her lifelong love of entertaining.
Although charcuterie is traditionally associated with meats and cheeses, Betty sees it as something much broader.
“I like to consider it more of a grazing situation. Not just strictly meat and cheese,” she says.
That philosophy has become Starcuterie’s signature style.
Alongside artisan cheeses and cured meats, guests might discover homemade honey goat cheese rolled in pistachios and dried cherries, offering a sweet, tangy crunch in every bite. Another favorite is her bacon-wrapped apricots with fresh sage that has quickly become one of her most requested items.
“I tried one years ago and thought, ‘I’m going to remember this,’” she says. “People really love them.”
Her creativity extends beyond traditional grazing boards.
One of the biggest additions to Starcuterie over the past year has been her custom-built charcuterie cart.
Instead of serving guests from a static buffet, the cart allows Betty to prepare individual portions tailored to each person’s tastes. Whether someone prefers extra fruit, additional cheese or a vegetarian selection, every serving can be assembled to order.
The cart has also become a memorable centerpiece at events, giving guests a more personal and interactive experience than a traditional catering table.
Business has grown primarily through word of mouth, a testament to the close-knit community Betty has embraced since moving to Westchester 10 years ago.
Originally born in Korea, Betty spent much of her childhood in Northern California before following her future husband, Justin, to Southern California. After living in Newport Beach and Brentwood, the couple decided Westchester was the ideal place to raise their family.
Today, she’s deeply involved in the neighborhood.
As co-president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Visitation School, she helps organize school events throughout the year. These experiences gave her the confidence to launch Starcuterie.
“You start doing events and think, ‘I can really do this,’” she says.
She especially enjoys participating in the monthly Second Saturday Stroll in the Westchester Triangle, where streets fill with local vendors, musicians and families.
Sponsored by the Drollinger Family Foundation, the event gives Betty a chance to create seasonal tasting experiences for visitors, from crostini and specialty dips to caramel apple bars in the fall.
“I’ve always been so envious of places like El Segundo where everyone gathers for community events,” she says. “Second Saturday Stroll gives us a flavor of that.”
Later this year, residents will also be able to find her charcuterie cart inside the beer and wine garden at WAM (Westchester Arts & Music Block Party), where she’ll be serving snacks to concert-goers.
“What I love about Westchester is that it has a small-town feel in a big city,” she says.
Nothing captures that spirit better, she believes, than the annual Fourth of July Parade.
“It’s one of our favorite things. We go every year.”
Both of her sons have marched in the parade with their schools, Evan with Visitation and Brewer with WISH, making it one of the family’s most treasured traditions.
“I really feel that it encapsulates our Westchester family feel,” she says.
That same sense of community has helped fuel the success of Starcuterie.
“I’ve been very busy just in my local Westchester neighborhood,” she says. “I don’t have to go very far, which is great.”
Although the business has only been operating for a year, Betty has no shortage of ideas for the future.
Inspired by her Korean heritage, Betty is already imagining new ways to use her mobile serving cart. One idea she’s especially excited about is a customizable ramen bar featuring premium Korean ramen paired with toppings like roasted corn, shredded beef, shrimp and fresh herbs.
She envisions it as the perfect late-night snack or interactive wedding party experience.
“I think that would be really fun,” she says.
After spending years putting her family’s needs first, she’s rediscovering the joy of building something that’s uniquely her own.
And if the first year of Starcuterie is any indication, Westchester residents are more than happy to pull up a plate.
For more information about Starcuterie or to see upcoming events and catering offerings, visit Betty Evans-Beck on
Instagram at @starcuterie_la.
By Shanee Edwards