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Meet Meghan Gardner,
co-owner of the fabulous restaurant/
entertainment hotspot Blue Moon in
Rehoboth Beach. Meghan has served
on the Delaware Restaurant Association
Board of Directors since 2012 and
has recently accepted the position of
Chairman of the Board of Directors for
the newly formed Delaware Restaurant
Association Educational Foundation
(DRAEF). She has also served as
mentor in the Delaware ProStart
Program to the students at Cape
Henlopen High School.
Q&A with Meghan Gardner
1)
Tell us about how you got your start in the restaurant business?
My first restaurant job was in high school. I was 16 and I worked at
the ice cream counter at the Charcoal Pit in Pike Creek. I loved the
pace and the people; I worked my way up to server and I was hooked.
2)
How did you first learn about the ProStart Program?
Carrie Leishman (DRA President) asked me to mentor the Cape
Henlopen ProStart Management team 3 years ago, the first year
of competition. I hadn’t realized just how wonderful this program
was until I actually got into the classroom and kitchen. I had the
chance to talk to the kids about their goals for the future and the
skills that they’ve learned.
3)
What’s been the most rewarding part about being a ProStart
mentor?
Working with the students has been inspiring. These
are an impressive bunch of kids who have learned not just about
culinary techniques and kitchen skills but also safety, critical
thinking, management, public speaking and team work. These
students are leaders and any industry is lucky to have them!
4)
What are the goals of the DRAEF?
The goal is to provide
support for the teachers and students and connect the students
with opportunities for employment and further education. These
programs and scholarships are crucial parts of developing future
leaders in the restaurant industry.
5)
As a new parent, what are your goals for your son? Would
you encourage him to work in restaurants?
Of course I’d love him
to work in this industry! I’d love Henry to cultivate a career from
something that he is passionate about. Lion and I have been able
to do that and we know how lucky we are! I hope to raise him to be
compassionate, thoughtful and an engaged member of his community.
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Meghan and Lion Gardner took ProStart competition winners from Cape Henlopen High School on a culinary tour at their restaurant, Blue Moon.
The owners of Blue Moon received
the 2011 DRA Cornerstone Award
