The James Beard Foundation (JBF) Patrons are a community of supporters that believe in our mission, including both food lovers and the people behind the plate. In this series, we’re highlighting Patron Program members who are working to improve our food system and embody our Good Food for Good™ mission.
Meet Sarah Combs, a Sustainer level Patron and Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) alum of the 2023 winter cohort. Combs is the general manager and co-owner of Mountain Laurel Catering & Events in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, alongside her husband and chef/co-owner Patrick. In honor of Women’s History Month, we spoke with Combs about her journey as an entrepreneur and the women who have been influential in her professional development.
JBF: What made you interested in joining the Patron program?
Sarah Combs: So, obviously the James Beard Foundation has a great reputation and, growing up in the industry, you become aware of it. My husband and I worked at several Relais & Châteaux and Forbes five-star restaurants, so it was on my radar. In 2023, I joined the WEL cohort and then my husband participated in the Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change. And it’s just part of who we are to help support an industry and an organization that has supported us and opened doors in so many ways.
JBF: How did you learn about WEL?
SC: I took my husband to a Taste America Philadelphia dinner in Philly at the Rittenhouse Hotel as a gift. At the dinner JBF presented on their programs, so I signed up on the website to receive emails. I remember receiving one about WEL and I didn't quite have the confidence to think that I would be selected for it. But two days before the application was due, I was like “just fill it out and give yourself the opportunity.” I was in total shock when I was accepted.
JBF: What was your experience being a part of a WEL cohort?
SC: I can’t say enough good things about being a part of the program. Working with Anne (vice president of Programs), Megan (associate director of Women’s Leadership Programs), and the Cornell professors was an experience in itself, just to have access to their knowledge. And now, over a year later, we still have a group thread for our cohort. It's great to have a handful of women in the same industry that you can talk to and ask questions of.
JBF: Tell me about Mountain Laurel Catering and your journey as an entrepreneur.
SC: Before we started dating, my now-husband was a chef in Montana, and I moved there separately as a tour manager. I later started working with him at a resort, initially doing service and bar manager work, then moved into lodging, concierge services, and event planning. Then, my director took a job in Texas and took me with her, so I became the assistant general manager of The Inn at Dos Brisas, a Relais & Châteaux–affiliated property. Through both of these experiences, I gained expertise in planning big events.
After we got married, my husband and I moved to Pennsylvania but planned to return to Montana after a year. However, while there, my cousin got married and convinced us to cook for 200 people for her reception. We did it well and got about 12 inquiries from that—and they just kept coming in, so we started doing eight events a year on our own. In February of 2016, we had just had our first son and decided to give up on the stability of our full-time jobs, go out on our own, and start saying yes to everything that came our way. We initially operated with a smoker trailer and two folding tables and we did it all—sales, prep, and day-of execution, then the following day we’d come back and do the dishes. All while keeping the baby quiet. And now we have around 180 weddings a year plus all our corporate lunches. We have 14 salaried employees and then a rotating cast of characters for our servers and bartenders.
JBF: Tell me about your inclusivity initiative, Adults of All Abilities.
SC: I have some members on our staff that have down syndrome or are neurodivergent. We hire and provide them with a one-on-one job coach while they're with us because we want to make sure they succeed. The adults that we work with [through this initiative] bring so much joy and they are so happy to [work our events] and to be treated well by guests.
JBF: Are there any women in your life that have had a significant influence of your personal or professional growth, or advice they shared?
SC: I have four women. The first two are Qui Qui Musarra and Staci Basore, owners of Mangia Qui, Suba, and Rubicon here in Harrisburg. They took me on when I was 20 years old and showed me the ropes when I was too nervous to open a bottle of wine at a table. They taught me a lot about food, wine, and service and how important it is to have integrity in your profession. They also allowed me to go on tour to manage a band for three months and supported me through that, which really shaped me as an employer because I can recognize that my employees' lives do not revolve solely around Mountain Laurel Catering.
The other one would be my mother. She's passed, but she raised five kids and always had a job while raising us. She gave us a wonderful childhood and I was so amazed at how multifaceted and talented she was. I tend to operate at one “go-go-go” speed and she instilled that in me.
And finally, a great piece of advice came from my friend, Sarah Staub, who is also an entrepreneur and said: “if you can eventually pay someone to do something so that it frees you up to make more money in a different way and use your talents better, do it.”
Learn more and join our Patron Program.
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Janae Butler is manager of development operations at the James Beard Foundation.
