Meet Kimberly Christian | Owner, Coleman Lake Restaurant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimberly Christian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberly, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
Food, and more importantly, feeding people. Food is THE universal language. You may not be able to speak the same language with someone, but a great meal shared between people has the ability to cross all boundaries. When you share good food, you need no words.
In my family, food is our love language. When you walked into my grandma’s house, the first question after “how are you” was “are you hungry?”. Sharing a meal is and was the way we caught up with each other and connected. A special or favorite food has the ability to comfort and console. I suppose it is not necessarily food that inspires me, but what food inspires in others. That is why I got into restaurants as a kid. It was a world not dissimilar to the one I grew up in. In restaurants I found people with the same passions and attitude I have. Opening a restaurant was a natural step. The restaurant I opened has a long history in the area and it is my pleasure to continue it’s history and legacy.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started working the restaurant industry at 15 years old. I was a short order cook at the Pal Theater in Louisville, GA. From there, I moved on to waiting tables, bartending, cooking, managing restaurants, just about everything you can do in a restaurant. It was a natural progression to owning one.
I have worked and/or cooked in Savannah, Mt. Pleasant (SC), Augusta, North Augusta (SC), Swainsboro, and now in Midville at Coleman Lake Restaurant where my husband and I are the owners.
Keep in mind that this was not the easiest life. But, restaurants get in your blood. You either love it or hate it. I love it. Through all of the stress, difficult customers, financial issues, it is worth it to me. Our restaurant has such a unique history and location. It truly is one of a kind. It keeps me going knowing that I am keeping a family’s dream alive. I get to reminisce with customers that have been coming to our location for 20+ years. I get to see generations grown up and growing up there like I did. My entire career built me into the person I am today to be able to do this restaurant justice. For us, in this area, Coleman Lake is not just a restaurant. It is an institution that has seen, births, birthdays, anniversaries, marriages, entire lives of generations that keep coming back to us because it is home. It is my duty and privilege to use all of the knowledge learned over the years to keep this legacy alive.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My area is very rural. Naturally, I would start with a home-cooked dinner with family and friends to welcome them. We would definitely take a kayak trip down the Ogeechee River, which is one of the most wild and pristine rivers in Georgia. We could then maybe go to a race in Swainsboro, go visit George L. Smith State Park in Twin City, Magnolia Springs State Park in Millen, Old Town Plantation between Wadley and Midville. Of course we would have to wind up at our restaurant, Coleman Lake Restaurant for live music and some of the best food around. The week would end with some dirt road riding on the side-by-side, checking out all of the amazing land and trails around.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My entire family, but most importantly, my Grandma Ann, my Nanny Sue, my Pa Jerry, and my parents. All were and are amazing cooks. From watching my Grandma cooking huge lunches for the farm hands and us from scratch, looking through all of the hardback Southern Living cookbooks my Nanny had, watching my Pa Jerry take recipes and substitute here and add a little there, my mom and dad both cooking awesome things and always sharing what they were doing.
Food is our love language. Cooking and feeding our family and friends is the best gift that we can give. They all taught me that, while we may not be rich, we have what matters most and we are going to eat well together.

Instagram: @colemanlakerestaurant

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colemanlakerest

Image Credits
I have rights to all photos. I am the photographer for all shots.