Since it’s been a tough year for the restaurant industry, we can help small business owners in the six states Duke Energy serves by ordering takeout to support local businesses. Meet six small business owners from Florida to the Carolinas and Midwest and learn what makes them successful.
They are thankful for the support they’ve received this year. In turn, they are sharing some of their favorite recipes with us. Flip through the full cookbook here or learn more about them below.
Greg Gentile opened Antonio’s in Maitland, Fla., after he returned from his honeymoon in Italy and realized that even though he is Italian American, he had been cooking Italian food all wrong. What was missing? Quality ingredients. After 30 years, he still enjoys sharing good food and authentic Italian recipes with his customers.
From their children working there to a family-inspired menu and a Day of the Dead theme, Roza and Juan Segoviano created La Catrina to celebrate the importance of family in Mexican culture. Its specialty is street food, which is Roza’s favorite and recognizes Juan’s grandfather, who sold a traditional taco – birria – for decades in Jalisco.
Husband-and-wife owners David Willocks and Wendy Braun designed every detail of the restaurant – starting with a 25-year-old, wooden table from a retiring baker that became the namesake. The details reflect their mission to source local, seasonal ingredients and only serve house-made breads that appear in nearly every dish they create.
Maggie Kane opened the restaurant after realizing that people living in poverty felt invisible. They wanted a place where they could choose their meal, feel seen and be appreciated. Here, customers can pay a suggested price, pay what they can, or volunteer in the kitchen in exchange for their meal - and she’s proud of the community they’ve created.
Taren Kinebrew has held a lot of titles – soldier, computer programmer, accountant and now bakery owner. She’s a third-generation baker and has enjoyed sharing her desserts since 2009. Her specialty is miniature desserts. They’re small enough to satisfy a sweet tooth without overindulging, but no guarantee you'll eat just one.
The Midnight Rooster started in 2001 as a coffee shop as a gathering place for people to enjoy good coffee in a comfortable setting. The original owner added a breakfast and lunch menu and eventually sold the restaurant to Suzanne Galloway and Vicki Hudson, who carry on the Rooster’s legacy in the eclectic, brick-walled downtown restaurant.
