Good Morning, Chef Bailey. It’s a good thing you’re an early riser, or else I’d be talking to a grumpy woman right now.
Anna makes room for Bailey Evans to sit at the table with her at a local coffee shop. After handing a hot chocolate to Bailey, she waits for her to take a sip before replying. Getting comfortable, Anna settles in for a good, long talk with her friend.
CAREER AS A CHEF
BDE: Yes, I’m the complete opposite of my best friend, Grace. She hates mornings and you can’t talk to her until 9, and I’m usually up by six at the latest.
ACB: How did being an early riser work being a chef at a busy restaurant in the evenings?
BDE: I’m not sure, but I’ve always been like this. It might be from spending summers with Grandma Jane, she was up early every day to work on the ranch and I wanted to spend as much time as I could with her, so I was up too! Learning to be a cowgirl was a secret dream of my young heart.
COLORADO SPRINGS
ACB: Do you miss Colorado, now that you’re in Cartersville?
BDE: At little, your mountains are a little small in comparison to mine, but there is a similar feel. Plus, I’m near Grace again and I love that!
ACB: Very true! You two met at Agnes Scott? Is that when she started calling you, Bales?
BDE: Nodding her head, Yes, our first year, I saw her a dinner arguing about something passionately and I remember thinking I wanted to be that passionate about something. At the time I was planning to be a lawyer, which wasn’t a passion for me at all. She called me Bales shortly after we met and it made me feel special.
ACB: It’s hard for me to imagine you in suits and a courtroom!
BDE: Nodding her head vigorously she said, imagine what it was like for me! It wasn’t until my senior year when Grace said, “be a chef”, that I finally felt like I had a calling, and a career I could love.
ACB: I get that. Any regrets for the career change from lawyer to a chef? 
BDE: Laughing loudly, That Grace didn’t tell me sooner, because it would have saved me a lot of anguish.
FUN FACTS
ACB: I ask everyone, what’s your favorite color?
BDE: That’s easy, green, because it’s the color of food!
ACB: Laughing with Bailey, What’s a dream?
BDE: Professionally as a chef, I’d like to compete on Chopped. Personally, have a legacy to share with my kids of a strong, godly woman to pass down as my Grandma Jane did for me.
ACB: I’ve seen the Bible, and it’s beautiful.
BDE: Wiping a tear, she said, Yes, worn and well-loved. That’s how I feel now.
ACB: Thank you for spending some time with me.
BDE: It was fun! We shouldn’t wait so long before getting together for hot chocolate and catch up.
ACB: Most definitely.
Hugging Anna, Bailey heads to the catering van for Taste & See, before waving bye to go prep for a tea she and Andrea will cater.
If you want to learn more about Bailey’s story, please check out my novel, Trusting Grace, which will be available for purchase on October 23.
Stay tuned for more insider looks at my current novels and other future books in the Grace Series.
Restoring Grace Book One in the Grace Series
Accepting Grace Book Two in the Grace Series
Until next time, may God’s grace surround you,
