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SEASONS CAFE AND CATERING
Mural by Brigitte Selby
Julie Ellis and Mark Bergstrom, co-owners of Season’s Cafe and Catering, have traveled the world, held a variety of jobs and worked at some of the Upstate’s – and the nation’s – top restaurants. They brought that experience and knowledge together to accomplish something they hadn’t seen done in the area: “We wanted to do ordinary food in an extraordinary way,” Bergstrom said. “Let’s not have a hundred things on the menu – let’s pick ten things and do them better than anyone else on the planet.” Their steadily growing clientele, both in the cafe and at a range of catering events, vouch that they have done just that. Their turkey sandwich is no ordinary turkey sandwich, but is made with fresh turkey roasted in the oven that day on-site, accented with housesmoked bacon, Swiss and pesto mayo on a croissant. “We’re a scratch-made restaurant,” Ellis said. “We do all of our own remoulades and aioli, we smoke our own pastrami. We do this classic food but with a little Southern flair.” The business opened 15 months ago after Ellis had met Bergstrom at Virginia College of Culinary Arts, where he is program director and she was a student. Ellis had started out as a teacher and then worked for American Express, spending nine years in Asia before she moved back to America and decided to enroll in culinary school. Bergstrom, who also teaches, had taken the job at the school after a culinary career that included high level jobs in restaurants in Boston and London. Bergstrom said Ellis stood out as a student thanks to her experience, talent and “passion for food. That’s something you can’t teach,” he said. “We wanted to do Ellis cites Bergstrom as the ideal business partner ordinary food in an because she views him as a mentor. “He’s my inspiration extraordinary way.” and the reason I got into this,” she said. They collaborated on the Seasons concept that focuses on their individual strengths and passions, including cooking classes taught Bergstrom, catering for business and other functions, ready-made meals to go for families to pick up, and a cafe that was away from downtown but wasn’t far – and could draw the growing Mauldin/Simpsonville/ Pelham Road crowd. Catering is Ellis’ passion, and she often creates beautiful spreads for large parties and delicious lunches for large business events. “I love beautiful food, and I like getting to use that personal touch,” she said. In addition to its popular lunch, the cafe recently started serving dinner on Fridays, featuring items like shrimp and grits and salmon with beurre blanc.Though items like mac and cheese bites with jalapeno or homemade hush puppies are indulgent, the cafe has also made thousands of healthy paleo meals, which are a hit. Some clients order up to 20 to-go meals – both the healthier and the more indulgent varieties – every week. Bergstrom’s passion for food extends beyond the work day, as he loves to spend time in his garden, where he grows food for his family. He also raises chickens for fresh eggs. Bergstrom and Ellis are excited about the future for Seasons as the area around it continues to develop. “It is growing, and we’ll grow along with it,” he said.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PARKKONEN PHOTOGRAPHY
WHISTLE STOP AT THE AMERICAN CAFE Whistle Stop at the American Cafe has been a landmark in Travelers Hawkins credits her team of employees for carrying on the family Rest since it was opened in 1945. But the restaurant you walk into today legacy. “We want friendly, smiling faces who are proud to be a part of the has new life, thanks to Vickie Vernon Hawkins. rebirth of the oldest cafe in the Upstate.” Hawkins didn’t necessarily plan to take over the family One of those team members is her nephew, Shay Waldrop. “It’s the crew that keeps business. In 2013, her uncle’s funeral procession made He works as a busser and a food runner, as well as Whistle this train on the track. one ‘last stop’ at the building on Main Street, which had Stop’s “resident artist”, designing coloring sheets for the Every person who works been for sale since he retired in 2009. “I was overcome children every month. “It’s the entire crew that keeps this here is an important part with emotion”, Hawkins said. “I felt like my uncle and my train on track. Every person here plays an important part of our success.” grandfather were teaming up on me from heaven, telling of our success.” me to buy it and keep it in the family.” The growth she’s seen in her hometown is a source of She and Craig Sikkelee gave the restaurant a facelift pride for Hawkins. “When I was growing up, we always went before reopening in January of 2014. The Whistle Stop now has a rooftop ‘downtown’ to Greenville to shop and dine out. Now everyone is coming dining area, called Victoria Station, complete with an outdoor fireplace and ‘uptown’ to Travelers Rest. It has become one of the new hot spots in the bar service. The dinner menu is filled with Southern delicacies, like Fried Upstate, thanks to the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the Whistle Stop. I’m very Green Tomatoes and Shrimp n Grits. And the Little Red Caboose offers proud of it.” kid-friendly selections, which all come in train-shaped boxes. Guests with a sweet tooth will want to check out Petticoat Junction, for homemade desserts like Mama Styles’ famous pecan pie. The Caboose Express serves delicious old-fashioned shakes, floats, ice cream, smoothies and Hawaiian Shave Ice from a walk-up window behind the restaurant. The cafe features a vintage steam engine and a replica of the Swamp 109 S. Main Street, Travelers Rest Rabbit Train, as well as an electric train that chugs around the ceiling. A 864-WHISTLE train whistle blows every time Vickie’s cell phone rings. And if you need to
1054 E. Butler Road, Suite A, Greenville 864.297.6516 seasonscafeandcatering.com
make a reservation, just call 864-WHISTLE.
whistlestopattheamericancafe.com
Photography by carol boone stewart
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