06/21/2026
Growing up, my dad owned restaurants, & one in particular—The Cajun Crab House on Old National—holds some of my favorite memories. We had live jazz every Fri-Sun & Sun brunch. As a little girl, I would run around that place in complete awe. Sometimes my dad wouldn’t get home until late after closing the restaurant. Before going to bed, he would quietly check on all of us. I used to pretend to be asleep just to see what he was sneaking onto our dressers because he always brought home gifts to surprise us. As I got older, my father started teaching me the family business. He walked me through every position & always said, “If you’re going to own something, you need to know how to do every job in the building.” He taught me how to be a hostess, bartender, prep cook, line cook, busser, & manager. The day he told me to go check the bathrooms, I thought I might die—but I did it. He taught me how to cook, manage inventory, lead staff, and take care of customers. He taught me that leadership isn’t about having a title—it’s about being willing to do every job when needed.My dad loved blues & jazz, & on the weekends the restaurant would be filled w/music & people. On his days off, he’d be at home cooking and creating recipes for the head chef to test in the restaurant. Later we owned a restaurant together. Those are some of my best memories. It was my chance to prove I could do it, and if you ask me, I did it pretty well in heels. When he was off & I was working alone, I’d sit in the last seat at the bar looking over paperwork w/ a Heineken & a shot of Hennessy, just like he would. Truth be told, I hated the drink, but I had to fully commit to the character. Some girls grew up wanting to be like the women they saw on TV. I grew up wanting to be just like my daddy—a boss. Respected by everyone. Smooth. Clean-cut. Able to work a room. A giver. Wise. A true people person. The person everyone called when they needed something done.
Daddy, over these past 35 years you taught me work ethic, perseverance, & leadership & most importantly to watch my hand. I can go on & on about the man on old national but I’m grateful to call him DAD.
