Meet Debbie Thomas of Thomas Hill Organics in Central California, SLO County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie Thomas.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was working for Adidas in sales and marketing when my two largest accounts closed. Adidas asked me to move but I loved Paso Robles and I did not want to move. At the time, I owned a 10-acre organic farm, which led me to reinvent myself as a restauranteur. I loved fine dining and wine so I thought, “I’ll open a restaurant, how hard could this be?”

I opened the restaurant over eleven years ago on January 15, 2009. We were a farm-to-table restaurant with an emphasis on organic. It took a couple of years to get noticed since farm-to-table was not as prevalent, plus our entrance was in an alley. Today we are one of the top restaurants in Paso Robles.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The first few years were a challenge, I didn’t make a penny until year three. I believe they say if you can make it three years in a restaurant your golden. However, I don’t believe that to be true. There are constant challenges along the way. Restaurants have low-profit margins so you need to watch your food cost and payroll constantly. Especially as a high-end restaurant the products we bring in cost more but the consumer is not always willing to pay more. However, our biggest challenge has been staffing. Not only finding great help but maintaining it. We, Paso Robles, are located in the middle between LA and San Francisco. Most chefs, young professionals, managers, want to work in the big city. I will admit I do have a few amazing employees who have been with me almost from the beginning.

One of my worst nightmares was having the kitchen staff walk out on a previous chef Mother’s Day weekend. How were we going to manage on one of the busiest weekends of the year? Well, I was in the kitchen cooking and that was a scary thing. We all pulled together as a team, turned off reservations as not to disappoint anyone, and made it through. COVID-19 and closing down the restaurant has by far been the most challenging. We had to reinvent ourselves and create a take-out menu that would entice our community to purchase. Our chef did a great job creating Round the World menus which we are still doing today.

Thomas Hill Organics – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are one of the only Farm-to-table fine dining restaurant, with an emphasis on organic, in SLO County. Our menu is always creative, giving our guests something they wouldn’t find elsewhere in Paso Robles. I am extremely proud that we are one of the top restaurants in SLO County. We pride ourselves in great food and excellent service. We have a beautiful patio which is our premier dining area.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is running a profitable restaurant that is customer-focused. Returning customers are the criteria for success. I also believe in employee loyalty, that is what I strive for every day.

Pricing:

• Dinner entrees range from $24 to $48
• Lunch entrees range from $15 to $21

Contact Info:

• Address: 1313 Park Street
  Paso Robles, CA 93446
• Website: www.thomashillorganics.com
• Phone: 805-226-5888
• Email: info@thomashillorganics.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thomashillorganics/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thomashillorganics

Image Credit:
Lisa Pretty

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