Meet Rhonda Foster

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

Hi Rhonda, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Their impact on us when they walk in our establishment. It is our second home. We want the guest to feel welcome. We want the guest to love the food & drinks we provide. We want a memorable experience for them. We want a memorable experience for us too. We are lucky to have a calling where we get to meet new people every day; we get to reminisce with “regulars” & we are constantly on the go. The demeanor of the guest can set the tone, good or bad. I always try to remember that I don’t know what kind of day my guest has had when they walk in: they might have just gotten a raise, started their vacation, gone to a funeral or just stopped in for familiar faces and kindness. The guests impact on us is as important as our impact on them. We get to make someone’s day better for a living. Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes it’s hard. It’s always rewarding.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started out at 14 yrs of age as a busser in a local seafood restaurant in my hometown of Englewood, Florida. I was able to learn new skills like dishwashing, cooking, prep, waiting tables and eventually managing not one establishment but 2 others that my employers owned. They helped me to learn new skills and passed on knowledge that I now know was invaluable to my future career choice. As a result I will always reach out to anyone who has questions in my industry. Someone helped me, without jealousy or suspicion and genuinely wanted to see me do well and prosper. It is my want and duty to pass that along to others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Morning: head over to Pasco coffee bar. A small local shop of coffee geeks who really love what they do. Thomasville is fortunate to have our own cheese maker (sweet grass dairy), winery (farmers daughter), distillery (1861), brewery (t-velo) & leather goods maker (south life supply). Not even Atlanta can boast all of these things. Maybe some but not all. We are very fortunate to have pioneers here.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Maureen & Mike Welling. My first job was bussing tables at their restaurant in South Florida & I still apply many of the principles I learned from them today. Secondly my crews throughout our 22 yrs. We are a family in the truest sense & they are the reason for our success.

Website: www.liamsthomasville.com

Instagram: liams_restaurant

Image Credits
Photo credits: Michael Serine & Eddie Sanchez