Imagine sitting down with your restaurant staff and throwing the script you’ve used for years out the window. Covid-19 was a change for everyone and has affected us all in many ways, both positive and negative. My experience at The Restaurant at Edmund’s Oast in 2020 introduced me to a new way of seeing my career and the choices I have made in the process.
In the early days of the pandemic, Scott Shor, the owner of Edmund’s, challenged us to rewrite the script and create a restaurant that could survive its hardest test. Though it was a scary time, I never knew I would enjoy my different role as much as I did. I embraced the challenge wholeheartedly and was determined to do my part.
Almost immediately, I began selling whatever desserts I could — from cookie boxes to strawberry pies, and eventually to-go boxes featuring desserts I would have served in the restaurant. I wanted every treat to feel like it had been made with love and care. Within days, regular customers reached out with emails and messages expressing support and gratitude. These connections were fulfilling in a way I’d never experienced before. It was a reminder of the comfort and thoughtfulness desserts can bring, a sentiment I felt the community needed during such a challenging time.
My former pastry chef, Amanee Neirouz, and I had often joked about pastry chefs in Charleston being replaced by soft-serve machines, a trend that was once painfully accurate. But in that pandemic moment, there was a real demand for desserts with substance, flavor and a personal touch — desserts made with intention. Slowly, I began questioning the traditional dessert menu format. Why only offer three desserts? Why not two or, in my case, eight? Why limit ourselves to plated desserts? These questions opened the door to creativity and reinvention, marking my first taste of entrepreneurship — and I loved it.
My career had always been detail-oriented. Crafting a single dessert often became an exercise in patience, rigorously testing recipes to achieve the perfect balance of sweet, salty, bitter and acidic notes. While I thrived on this minutiae, I rarely looked at the bigger picture. I moved from pastry cook to pastry chef to executive pastry chef, eventually creating dessert programs for multiple concepts. My love of learning, baking science and recipe development served me well in these roles, but the pandemic taught me something different. I could share my desserts and my vision more authentically, connecting with guests in meaningful and real ways. Authenticity — in both my personal and professional life — has become one of my greatest values.
As I leaned into collaboration and pop-up events, I curated projects that were inspiring and challenging. Along the way, I met Chef Nikko Cagalanan, an unconventional chef with freedom, ambition and originality that I deeply admire. Nikko wasn’t focused on climbing the traditional culinary ladder, and his approach to the industry felt refreshing. In Charleston’s tight-knit culinary world, collaborators like Nikko became friends and colleagues, inspiring me to take a leap of my own.
After leaving Edmund’s, I focused on refining my craft and gaining experience with multiple concepts. But I missed the connections — the ability to create and fill exciting new worlds. It was time. Along with my business partner, Paula Kramer, I launched ROXA, a petite dessert pop-up. Paula, now married to Chef Nikko, shares a similar ethos. At ROXA, we currently operate a residency at 218 President St., offering themed six-course dessert tastings. Together, we get to build new culinary worlds. It’s been exhilarating and terrifying, but sometimes, your gut knows exactly what you need. This leap has been the best one yet.
I’m not suggesting that everyone should quit their job and start over. For many, that’s simply not feasible. But I am encouraging you to look out, not just up. Sometimes, the ladder you’re climbing might not lead to where you truly want to be. Question how you do what you do. My best advice? Find the things you love and make sure you’re doing them as much as you can. Life is too sweet not to.
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