In 2010 Candace Rinke opened the Hawthorne Grill in Kettering, running a scratch kitchen for over seven years. After a good run, she decided it was time for a change and she shut the restaurant down to focus on more family time. Just last week we noticed some posts on facebook with a food theme. So we asked her what this was all about and here’s what she had to say:
You’ve been out of food service for a while, what made you return?
After closing my restaurant and spending a few years at the helm of my household, I decided it was time to get back out into the world. Real estate had always been another interest for me, so I spent some time getting licensed. As the spring arrived, I was getting down to the business of helping friends and family buy and sell homes. Fate stepped in and (as I’ve heard many others say), 2019 became a year of health challenges. After a springtime injury that resulted in a spinal fusion, I was on the road to recovery when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, which resulted in the difficult decision to have a double mastectomy with reconstruction. In all that time, real estate was the last thing on my mind. Food – and entertaining my family – were the things that kept my spirits up during those dark days. I decided that God and Fate were showing me the way. Now I am here, sharing my love of cooking with everyone. But not just cooking – to me, it’s a complete package. The way the house feels, looks and smells when friends walk through the front door all work together to make every occasion special. That doesn’t always mean a meal that took days, or even hours, to prepare. It could be something as quick and simple as a few slices of cheese laid out beautifully on a platter, next to store bought meat, olives and crackers with glasses of cold wine to enjoy a warm spring evening. If your guests are welcomed into open arms and a happy home, they will remember the good times you shared.
What exactly is Full Frontal Entertaining?
Full Frontal Entertaining is a food and lifestyle blog. I have spent my career (and lifetime really) learning about food, cooking and hospitality. My goal is to convey the things I’ve discovered to help take the anxiety out of entertaining. It doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. It’s about having fun and creating delicious experiences.
Will you be offering catering? Classes?
I will not be offering catering right now. Parties happen at night and on the weekends and that is precisely when I want to be with my own family. I am available for restaurant consulting, but I haven’t ironed out any details yet. I’m considering hosting some underground dinners and/or cooking classes, perhaps once or twice a month, for old friends. And I’m in the process of having my memoir edited by a local author/editor and planning to self-publish by the end of the summer.
I’m also going to be one of the chefs participating in the Doors of Compassion for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Dayton. I never had time to participate in great events like that when my restaurant was open, but I have the freedom now to help make a difference.
What else would you like folks to know?
I didn’t realize what I was getting myself into when I decided to be a blogger. It’s been a surprisingly steep (technology) learning curve as I navigate this new world, but I’m getting there. I’d love for everyone to sign up for my mailing list – it’s on my webpage: FullFrontalEntertaining.com and I’ll be doing some giveaways in the next few months to get people engaged.
I feel blessed to hear from former guests and friends of The Hawthorn Grill. Many of them have reached out to me with well wishes and compliments on my blog. I’ve come full circle since the day I opened the door to my restaurant. I learned so much, gained and lost so much, took some time to heal (emotionally, physically AND mentally), left for a while, and now I’m excited to be getting back to food and sharing my recipes and love of entertaining with the world. I hope it brings others as much joy as it does me. Here’s to living a beautiful life.
