“I’m originally from Northport, outside of Tuscaloosa. I grew up around food. My dad kept a small garden in the backyard. He’s a big hunter and fisherman, and we ate at home every night from something we picked or canned. My grandfather was a farmer. Every summer we would get corn, peas, and other vegetables from him. We only went out to eat if it was someone’s birthday or something wild.

Growing up, I never envisioned that I would cook for a career. My first job was cooking chicken tenders at Zaxby’s, but I didn’t work there very long. I got a job at a dry cleaners in Tuscaloosa and I worked there through most of high school. I loved that job.

I went to community college for two years then went to culinary school in Birmingham. I worked at the dry cleaners in the morning and drove to school in the afternoon. I did a culinary internship at the Grand Hotel in 2011 or 2012. Working in the banquet kitchen with weddings for 1200 people or six functions going on at the same time was a culinary boot camp. I loved the coordination that was required every single day to have the right food and the right plates and glasses in the right places. I transferred to the Battle House to get experience there.

My first restaurant job was at the Fairhope Inn. I started as a line cook, but became executive chef and took over the kitchen. I was hired at Pour Baby and worked there for three years until the Fairhope Inn asked me back. I worked there for six months, and then COVID hit. That was a hard time for our industry and shook things up. I worked at Crown Hall and cooked for private dinners. It was a hard time, but I survived.

As bad as COVID was, it also brought positive changes in my life. If you had told me a year ago, I would be sitting here in my own restaurant, I would have told you that you were crazy. I always wanted a restaurant if the conditions were right but I needed the right partners or investors because I don’t have the money to take that risk. Then a miracle happened and this door opened.

Von’s Bistro was on St. Michael Street for years, but the owners made a career change. Von called me and suggested I take over the bistro. The original plan was to use everything they had, put a new label on the front, and keep going. I would make changes as it grew. It was expensive to just do that. My parents and others were helping me, but it was more money than we had.

I reached out to Lance and Gerri Hallmark, the founders of Rock’n’Roll Sushi that started in Mobile, and asked them if they would like to do another concept. I told them my vision, and they partnered with me. They said, ‘This is yours, we want to make this happen for you.’ They became successful and want to help other people.

We remodeled for months, but the cooking area is still small and in the open. There is a bit of performance to cooking in the open because someone could be watching you at any time. We have to be prepped up and ready.

The name is West Food Bar and we have a soft opening for the next two weeks that is invite-only, but we are taking reservations for the weeks after that. I am ready to be open and have people filling it with life. This is a speakeasy-style restaurant with lunch, brunch, and dinner. I want the specialty cocktails and libations to complement the atmosphere.

We are on St. Michael Street, which is off the beaten path, also adding to the speakeasy vibe. We are around the corner from the Battle House so I hope we will have people from out of town. I want to make Mobile special to them.

I get to highlight friends who have their own companies. The ones with farms or who make candles. My name is on the door, but this isn’t just me. So many helped me get where I am and I want to bring others along. I have been in this area for ten years and have never felt such a sense of community since I lived here. I want to help keep it growing.”

Weston