We had the good fortune of connecting with Brooke Jonson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Honestly I was bored at my day job and in my life and wanted to switch things up a bit. I have no prior experience in the restaurant industry, I have not even worked in one. I was a wedding planner and had a good grasp on how to organize, work with vendors and design events logistically. So I thought, “how hard could it be too open a restaurant from scratch?!” I just dove in feet first and had an amazing group of friends and family who supported me along the way.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have bounced all of the board career wise. Before I had my daughter I was a manager at Starbucks. Then I chose to stay at home with her for several years. After she started school I wandered into the wedding world and fell in love! I catered, bar tended and ended up becoming a wedding planner. It was such a fun and happy industry to be a part of. It was hard work, but worth every hard day. I worked long hours and missed many soccer games. I started to think of other ideas and careers I could try out. I had no idea how to run a restaurant, but if I could organize the most important day of ones life, how hard could this be? I wanted Brunch to reflect my life and who I was as a person. Laid back, fun and a welcoming atmosphere.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live on the Central Coast in California. We are right in between LA and San Francisco. I would plan a couple days in Santa Barbra to walk around down town, visit the beach and maybe go to a show at the Bowl. Then work our way yo to the beaches in my area, Moonstone, Cayucus and all the sleepy little beach towns. The weather is always sunny and there are so many hidden Mexican food spots with authentic Mexican food. Next we would do some wine tasting in Paso Robles and enjoy the live music they have. Also stop at a few of our local breweries. There are so great dinner spots in Paso, The Backyard, Fish Gaucho and Street Side. If there was time we could head up to Big Sur for a day of hiking.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I had the most amazing group of friends and family that literally helped me build my restaurant. They painted, installed sound systems, built tables, put chairs together and of course taste tested the entire menu! I had financial support from my dad which was amazing! My sister, Kinzie, was by my side the entire process and was my number one cheerleader. Without my group of friends, I would not have succeeded the way I have.

Website: www.brunchpaso.com

Instagram: brunch.paso

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brunch.805

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/brunch-paso-robles?osq=brunch

Image Credits
Sarah Kathleen Photography

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