EAT
The COVID-19 slowdown gave Samantha Ross (l) and Olivia Brinton the time and motivation needed to create the concept behind their first joint venture.
KEEPING IT FRESH With a menu that changes with the seasons, Newark’s Peach Blossom Eatery has found success on Main Street By David Ferguson Photos by Lindsay Rudney duPhily
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t was a Wednesday morning in October of 2021, and I was seated at the bar in The Peach Blossom Eatery, a new restaurant in Newark. This was a soft opening, and with the grand opening only a few days away, staff training was in full swing. Behind the counter, owners Samantha Ross and Olivia Brinton shouted words like: “Hands!” (Someone please come take this hot plate of food to the table). “Corner!” (Look out! I’m rounding the corner, and I may or may not have a full bowl of soup in my hand; often accompanied by “Hot!”). “Service!” (Tables need clearing, and I need help!). Although this is their first joint venture, Ross and Brinton have been friends since they met while working at Hockessin's House of William and Merry in 2014. They started as members of the House's service team and worked through the ranks before moving on to other ventures. Brinton opened the popular Little Goat Coffee Roasting Co. in Newark, while Ross went to help open and cook at Philadelphia's famous Condesa. ► OCTOBER 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 47