When I had my cafe in New Orleans, my mom, Mimi used to spend many days there. One day while she was peeling shrimp she said, “Mahhrrea, I know your food is wonderful but do you know why this business is successful? Because you are here every day. You know your customer’s names and are interested in their lives. You introduce them to your family and you deliver food to their aging parents when they can no longer leave their homes. You, nor your staff just cook to put food on a plate. You cook their family recipes which they are proud to share. This is not just about food, this is about human connection.”

24 years later, it’s still about human connection.