Local Hero Profile: Paul & Elizabeth’s
“ I want people to feel nourished. It’s always a great feeling when you feel good after a meal.” – Nate Sustick
Photo: Jason Threlfall
General Manager Nate Sustick’s parents, Paul & Elizabeth, started their restaurant in 1978 and have been incorporating local ingredients into their dishes from the very beginning. You have to, Nate says, if you care about the quality of your food. This is especially true for a restaurant that features so many vegetables front and center on the menu. Every year Nate looks forward to cooking with tomatoes and corn when they come into season, and gladly works squash and pumpkin into the menu during the fall when there’s so much of it around. Besides the quality of the produce, he sources locally because of the long-standing relationships the Sustick family has formed with the farming community. Having grown up in the area, some of the farms he sources from are run by childhood friends, and now that he has his own children, he buys from the parents of their classmates, including Tim and Caroline of The Kitchen Garden.
A taste of the menu:
Antipasto Special A medley of seasonal offerings
Vegetable and Herb Risotto Cakes $8.00, With lemon aioli
Pan-Fried “Vermont Fresh” Ravioli $7.00, With onions and tomatoes in garlic herb butter
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Nate loves cooking in general, but his favorite part of working at Paul & Elizabeth’s is the creative freedom he has in the kitchen.
Why people love Paul & Elizabeth’s:
People feel comfortable and satisfied in this pleasantly decorated space and love the “guilt-free” menu. Paul and Elizabeth’s is able to turn simple dishes into works of art, many of which are vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Did you know?
Paul & Elizabeth’s is the oldest restaurant in town that’s still run by its original owners.
Paul & Elizabeth’s supports The Kitchen Garden
Farmers: Caroline Pam and Tim Wilcox
Story: Caroline and Tim’s first farm sprouted on one acre of rented land in Hadley, where they grew “unusual and specialty vegetables” they enjoyed cooking with but couldn’t find in the area. Today they farm on fifty acres in Sunderland, and their commitment to delicious, nutritious, organic food has not wavered. “We’re always focused on the end goal of eating,” Caroline says. “Life wouldn’t be the same if we couldn’t cook and eat the dishes we make every year with fresh garlic, herbs, and chilis. I think, this is life, and that’s why we do any of it.” Caroline and Tim know that food brings people together. Every day, the Kitchen Garden work crew eats lunch together at a long table. All fourteen members take a turn cooking for the rest of the group, cultivating relationships that help sustain them through hot summer days of hard work.
