Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Lewis.
Chef Paul, is the creative mind and owner of Heaven Café. Although his love of food began at a very early age in the kitchen with his Mother, it was not his original career path. He first spent twenty years in the United States Army reaching the level of Sergeant as a Leadership Training Instructor.
He began his culinary journey by attended the Art Institute of Atlanta. His first job in the culinary field was with the Sheraton as a line cook in Columbus Ga. He has spent the last 15 years climbing the culinary ranks from line cook to Executive Chef to corporation chef of the pecan restaurant.
From Sheraton, he moved on to Coke Cola, then Morehouse School of Medical as the Sous Chef, he was then recommended for the position of Executive Chef at Alabama State University, and has also held the office of Assistant Food Service Director before leaving to begin The Pecan with a partner. After building the Pecan to a locally renowned 5-star restaurant with his signature southern fusion food and elegant touches, he has finally decided to start a legacy all his own. Inspired by his faith and love of elevated simply delicious food he has created Heaven Café.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, the road has been very hard to get started. Some of our struggles are as follows:
1. Money – having enough capital to start a business.
2. Location – not on the main strip, so a lot of customers do not know that we are here in Locust Grove.
3. Customers – our main customer base are ages are between 35 – 44 years old, and they worked during the day.
4. Hours of operation – does not fit everyone schedule.
5. Employees – finding the right group of employees to represent the company.
6. Financial – knowing all of the financial detail of the business.
Heaven Cafe – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
One of our customers said it best “We are an elevated cafe dining.”
Heaven Cafe specialized in “Southern Fusion,” which means we take southern dishes and fused it with European classics.
For example, we are known for our Shrimp & Grits with a Cajun cream sauce (French). No one in the local area can duplicate our pepper jack grits. Or we might do a pork schnitzel with gravy (German), but in reality, it is just a pork chop flatting out and then dip in special bread crumbs and lightly fried. Or our best seller which is Collard Greens Egg Rolls (Asian) with a spicy sweet and sour sauce.
What we are most proud of that “God” is first in our lives, then the quality of food that we present to each customer that walks through the door of “Heaven Cafe.”
What set us apart from other establishments, is that we cook everything from scratch, and all of our chefs are culinary graduates. No one in the area of Henry County is doing what we are doing here at Heaven Cafe.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
1. Open the doors of Heaven Cafe.
2. Graduate of the Atlanta Art Institute of Culinary with a 3.9 (GPA) and was Summa Cum Laude of my class.
Contact Info:
- Address: 656 Peeksville Rd.
Locust Grove, GA 30248 - Website: heavencafe.org
- Phone: 678-272-8688
- Email: heavencafe3725@gmail.com
- Instagram: heavencafe656
- Facebook: Heaven Cafe
- Twitter: heavencafe656
- Yelp: heaven cafe
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