Nadia Grantham

I started in the restaurant industry after working in dog grooming and at a vet's office. After I had my first child, my second job was bartending, and I walked into that first bar not even knowing what was in a screwdriver. But I quickly realized I'm not a 9-to-5 person, I'm not an office type person, and when I started getting into the real restaurant side of it, I thrived. I've worked at Hooters, a bowling center, and hibachi restaurants before coming to Union Kitchen. At Union Kitchen, I've been able to tap into my creative side, doing wine dinners and tastings and creating all these events to bring people in, not just for the dining experience, but for a whole experience. I create all of the events, do all the balloon arches and decorations, create the menus, and pair the wines or bourbons. I run events like Basket Bingo where I get donations from other businesses and wine reps, create baskets, and people come in for $10 a bingo card with happy hour specials. I'm planning a Kentucky Derby event with live mini ponies, a special menu, and prizes for best dressed. It's the people that make you in this industry, and they can break you, but it's the joy of it. When guests in this building automatically assume I own it, I tell them no, but I run it like I do. It's mine, I just don't have to pay for it. Over the past five years at Union Kitchen, Paul Miller has given me the opportunity to think outside of the box and create all of these amazing ideas. I didn't know how to make balloon arches until I started here, and I didn't know I was as crafty as I am.