Liza Causey '09

PR and Business Development Manager,
Chatham's Place Restaurant

(Pictured with owners Maurice and Tony)

q: What do you do?

a: Promote the restaurant and manage group events. Chatham's Place is a fine dining venue since we only seat 70 people in the main dining room and up to 24 in the private wine cellar. Reservations are highly recommended, since one of our specialties is personalizing everything for each guest. We even arrange the tables in the restaurant every night according to who is coming. Zagat's consistently rates Chatham’s Place as one of the best in Orlando, and just this month we made it to their list of top 720 restaurants in the entire world.

q: What's your favorite part of the job?

a: The people, who pride themselves on excellence. They're like a family to me; they even hosted a graduation party for all my relatives. The owners give me autonomy to do what I feel is best for the restaurant; for instance, I changed the menu wording to make it look better based on ideas from Rosen College professor Perry Lynch. I also created a new web site with photos I took.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: Being a small business, the focus has been on outstanding food quality and service, but there aren't procedures and processes in place on the business side. I'm creating them as I go along.

q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?

a: Since I recently graduated, I keep in touch with both alumni and current students. I will always remember relationships built with faculty and staff.

q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?

a: At Chatham's Place with my husband. We really love it here. It's like being home, but with really good food.

q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?

a: I'm training for a half marathon, starting with my first 5K with the National Training Center in Clermont.

q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?

a: It taught me how to network. Chatham's was a member of some organizations. I've taken full advantage of meetings and events, and also joined organizations that are new to Chatham's like MPI and wedding planner groups. We're getting so much more exposure to the right people.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: Classes required for the event management program have too much overlap in content. New courses should be added to the curriculum for technical skills needed for event management jobs, such as designing web sites and producing marketing brochures.

q: A UCF memory?

a: Receiving a scholarship from Harris and Trisha Rosen, and meeting Mr. Rosen in person at the awards ceremony on my birthday. Also the night that Dr. Hyung-Il Jung ("Young") stayed until 8:00 p.m. to help me with finance and accounting. I had come by his office around 4:30 p.m. and he wouldn't give up on me until I understood how to solve the problem. He is truly dedicated to teaching, and everything a professor should be.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: At Chatham's Place: Chatham's Cosmopolitan, the velvety lobster bisque, the Brie à la Carozza salad and the Chilean sea bass grilled with lemon, butter, Worcestershire, and white wine, topped off with an amazing pecan macadamia nut pie.

q: On your iPod?

a: An enormous number of songs ranging from Latin music to opera to rock to rap to Kenny Chesney.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: My wheels are always turning. I'm always thinking of ways to help people or make things better everywhere I go.