Hi, I’m Stephanie. I am a Los Angeles transplant, originally from upstate New York. Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, I always had my sights set on becoming a therapist. After spending a few years bouncing around at jobs and moving across the country I found myself working part-time as a cocktail server to put myself through paralegal school. I know, it was a complete 180°, but stick with me. By the time I had graduated from paralegal school, I was working full-time as a server in a busy restaurant and had completely fallen in love with my job. Not ready to stop working at the restaurant, I continued serving on the weekends while working a 9-5. Six months later I quit the law firm and went back to the restaurant full time.
This didn’t come as much of a surprise since I had always loved restaurants and food in general. When I was young I chose to watch Chopped instead of Disney Channel and my first question on family vacations was always “Where are we eating?”. As an adult, I still continuously ask “Where are we eating?” except now I can spend all of my free time checking out new restaurants (I’m writing this at a new cafe). So, between my job and eating being my favorite hobby, restaurants take up most of my brain space.
To me, restaurants are so much more than a business. They are their own little worlds where every night is different. At any given moment the dining room could be filled with first dates, 50-year anniversary dates, birthday celebrations, and old friend catch-ups. In the back of the house, servers and bartenders perform to put on the show of service while the kitchen works together in controlled chaos. Restaurants are a chance to travel the world without a plane ticket and to share in a chef’s culture and passion.
I started From the Table to share my love (and endless lists) of restaurants, kitchen adventures, and to connect with other people across LA (and everywhere else) who share the same passions I do. Thanks for taking the time to check out From the Table. I’m looking forward to eating with you.
Happy eating, Stephanie
