Q: Can you share with our audience when your passion for cooking started?
SH: I’ve known since I was eight years old … it’s always been passion of mine.

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
SH: I was around 18 or 19 when I truly knew that being a chef was the only thing that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. 

Q: What was your first job? And how did it shape or impact you?
SH: My first job was at a skating rink. I remember working the concessions and setting up for birthday parties. I guess I can say it impacted me by teaching me the art of multitasking. 

Q: Tell us about some of your popular dishes your customers come back for?
SH: The four most popular dishes on the menu are the Chicken and Waffles, Shrimp and Grits, Salmon Croquettes and Salmon Philly. 

Q: What’s your regular comfort meal?
SH: My regular comfort meal would have to be any type of pasta. Salmon Fettuccine, spaghetti and meatballs, vegetarian pasta, white or red sauces. I could literally eat pasta every day. 

Q: What's the greatest fear you've had to overcome to get where you are today? 
SH: My only two fears in life have only been the fear of failure and uncertainty.

Q: What is the best cooking tip for a novice just getting into the business?
SH: The best tip I can give is to cook what you love! Showing your passion through your food is key. 

Q: Can you tell our audience one of your most memorable moments your career?
SH: The day opened the doors of my restaurant. 

Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience?
SH: I can say that the importance of paperwork was something I had to learn the hard way. I’m a chef first, so I tend to overlook the importance of bookkeeping. 

Q: Which woman inspires you and why?
SH: All single parent entrepreneurs inspire me. The ability to balance family and business is a skill, and not everyone is able to accomplish it. But for those that can do, it can be an amazing thing. 

Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today?
SH: I believe the biggest challenges women face are balancing motherhood/family and career goals. Unfortunately, in the culinary field, it’s even harder to find the proper balance, especially with the long hours that are needed to have a successful business.  

Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace?
SH: Just know that nothing comes easy or overnight. 

Q: What's your advice for women in male-dominated fields?
SH: My advice would be to know who you are, especially in the kitchen. Let your food speak for you. 

Five Things About Chef & Owner Susan Harris

1. If you could talk to one famous person past or present, who would it be and why?
Rachel Ray because I would just love to pick her brain about the business side of cooking. 

2. What’s the best advice anyone’s given you?
To never give up.

3. What’s your favorite movie?
A Little Princess

4. Do you have a favorite quotation?
Carpe Diem 

5. What place you always dreamed about visiting?
Phuket, Thailand