Hello you web browsers!

We are the Sullivan Family! 

Chef Brad, wife Liza, Christian 16, Krysta 13 and Georgie 9.  I started working in restaurants as a janitor at age 8,  got my first REAL job washing dishes as 13 at Jacmel Inn in Hammond, La.  www.jacmelinn.com and was sous chef there by 17 under the tutledge of Chef Harry Williamson and Paul Murphy.  I met Carroll O'Conner there while he was filming the tv show, In The Heat of the Night as many scenes were filmed at Jacmel.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Heat_of_the_Night_(TV_series) 

Shortly after they wrapped, Mr. O'Connor told me that if ever i were in L.A. to come and work at his restaurant, Carroll O'Conners Place in Beverly Hills, CA.  I bought a one way ticket to L.A. with a couple hundred dollars and the blind ambition of an 18 year old.  I got a big break knocking on the back door of L'Orangerie as the Chef was firing 3 cooks.  The chef was Jean Francois Meteigner http://www.lacachetterestaurant.com/meet.html(Google him!) 

 He is a master French Chef.  I worked hard under him for two years and as he trained those who were interning from the CIA or Cordon Bleu; i learned from them as I taught them the Chefs ways.  I eventually went to work with Carroll O'Conner; he remembered me and my great dane, Sebastian.  It was while i was working at L'Orangerie that i met my beautiful Greek wife, Liza.  

      She was managing a high end boutique in Beverly Hills dressing every star you could name.  After hours we frequented the Coronet Pub in West Hollywood and had a mutual friend who introduced us, we fell in love and have been together since.  Christian was born to us as we opened our own clothing store in Beverly Hills; aptly named Zante Boutique.  I cooked at Tribeca Bar and Grill to help make ends meet. He learned to crawl by going under the curtains of the dressing room stalls!  The Northridge quake of '94  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northridge_earthquake put us out of business and the epicenter was a scant 4 miles from our San Fernando home; so we traveled cross country to Lizas neck of the woods,  New York.  

  Two exhaustive years of long hours, more snow storms than I can count and a longing for home, we left NY in 1996 and moved back to Hammond, La. ; where we were blessed with Krysta.  She starred in a Volkswagon commercial that played during the superbowl when she was two years old. We opened another Zante Boutique in the little college town of Hammond, La.  Home to Southeastern Louisiana University. www.selu.edu  N'Awlins was 40 minutes south and LSU 40 min. East.  We dressed those college girls in the all the lastest Los Angeles fashions  for 4 years.  While there I was fortunate enough to work with the Brennans of Commanders Palace and Mr. B's Bistro. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennan_Family_Restaurants True artisans of New Orleans cuisine. 

In 2000 we were ready for change again and heard of the little Greek village on the Gulf Coast from Liza's brother as he passed through Tarpon on his way from Port St. Lucie.  Liza was born in Athens Greece so we thought we might drive the 12 hours and have a look for ourselves. We visited for a few days; went to Disney World, came back and bought the house we live in now. We wanted our children to grow and enrich themselves in the heritage of their mothers culture in this community.  Our clothing store in Hammond sold and we moved to Tarpon in the Summer of 2000.  After working at various places I took the job as one of the Chefs in the Louis Pappas Riverside Cafe www.louispappas.com when Louis and Nancy had it to themselves.  My time there ended the day before Georgie was born at Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital;  a double rainbow appeared over the hospital that day and it's no wonder why.  We were blessed again.   I don't think we'll move again as we don't expect anymore little ones.

My children have the rare gift of growing up in one house, in one community and seeing their childhood friends grow up with them.  They share the same teachers, learn to ride bikes on the same streets, trick or treat in the same neighborhoods and celebrate the cities Greek traditions.  When they are older; they will call Tarpon Springs their Home.  We have been embraced by the community with our little cafe and we try to give back as much as we get.  Still got plenty of miles left on these wheels and more adventures to live.    I look forward to meeting each and every one of you when you come in my cafe.

Take Care now,

Chef Brad