This week, The Grenada Star spotlights Joan Fox, head cook at Sunflower Café.
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born on Jan 5, 1972, in Grenada.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: I moved to Centralia, Ill., as a child and graduated from Centralia High School.
Q: Where all have you lived?
A: I have lived in Illinois and Gore Springs.
Q: Where do you work? Tell us about your job/company.
A: I work at Sunflower Café. I am the head cook there. I prepare all of the food for the buffet plate lunches. If I am needed, I help wash dishes, wait tables and help at the register. My main job is cooking and serving the meals from the buffet bar.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: When I moved back home to Grenada from Illinois, I needed a job. I have cooked in restaurants for over 20 years. It is just my passion. I love to cook.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: I love getting to meet all of Grenada’s residents. I love all of the smiling faces that come into my job each and every day, and allow me to serve them. I have a wonderful work family. They really make my job so much fun. We are a great team.
Q: What was your first job?
A: My first job was at McDonald’s.
Q: Who is the person who has been most influential in your life?
A: I can’t name just one; that is hard. God blessed me with many influential people in my life. I am thankful for the impact they all have made in my life in their own special ways.
Q: If you could relive one day from your life, what day would you choose?
A: I would have to relive the best day of my life, which was the day I became a mother.
Q: What is your significant other’s name? What does he do for a living?
A: His name is Fredrick Tidwell Sr. He is a used car salesman, but I say he is a man of many talents; he does a little bit of everything.
Q: Do you have any children?
A: I have one son, Cassius Miller. My boyfriend and I just received full guardianship over my grandson, ZyAire- Bridges, so I guess you could say I have two sons. I love them both very much.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: A good ribeye steak. I want a baked potato and salad with it, and maybe a margarita or two to drink.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Oh, I want to go to Jamaica or to the Caribbean.
Q: What hobbies do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I like to catch up on my TV shows like HGTV, my reality shows and I like riding country roads. I love a good backroad.
Q: What do you enjoy about living and working in Grenada and Grenada County?
A: It may be a big city to some that live here, but I love the country living all over this town. I enjoy the “country-ness feel” this town gives. It’s a great place to live.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone from your life or history, who would it be and why?
A: Michelle Obama. She was the First Lady. It’s an honor just to have lunch with the first lady in itself, and then she was the first black lady at that, and to me that is inspiring. She is a classy lady that I would love the privilege to sit down with and get to know.
Q: Would you rather read a good book or watch a good movie and why?
A: I would rather watch a good movie because reading puts me to sleep.
Q: What moment in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
A: Probably the day I became a mother again. I got custody of my grandson and I basically started all over again. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in this world.
Q: What would be the No. 1 thing on your Bucket List?
A: I want a girls trip to Miami with some of my best girlfriends.
Q: If you could describe your morals in three words, what would they be?
A: Trustworthy. Fair. Loving.
Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: I want to be remembered as the lady who loved the Lord and loved serving others. I want to be remembered as a good friend, sister, mother, grandmother and niece.
~ By Mandy Ayers
