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Upon entering CUP Food You Pick Up, I was blown away by the bright, clean attractive and modern design, and delighted to meet Paulette DeGraw who inspired me with the story of how CUP came to be. Paulette ( a designer by trade) suddenly lost her mother three years ago, and felt that divine intervention led her to this point, as it was after her mother’s passing that she dreamed up the concept of CUP Food You Pick Up. “It literally all came to my mind in a dream. The concept, colors, design, even recipes,“ she says Paulette decided that life was too short not to follow her dreams (no pun intended), so she and her husband Bryan packed up their family and moved from Atlanta to South Walton, their favorite vacation spot. A mother of five, Paulette now lives at the beach with her husband and their youngest son, but is busy running their two businesses: 30A Design Group, an interior design and construction company; and CUP Food You Pick Up at Redfish Village in Blue Mountain Beach, a new concept in healthy eating on the go, that began breakfast service at 8am this morning.
Divine intervention struck again at her sons baseball game when Paulette met now owner manager Christa Chastain. This chance meeting taking place on the bleachers gave Paulette insight and needed information, as Christa and her husband knew the restaurants business well. Currently, the two families are part of a group of owners spread across Mississippi, Florida, and Georgia, with plans to expand CUP throughout the Southeast, and Paulette says, “We have a super team that God put in our path. Anytime we questioned what we were to do next, there would be the right person to fill the void with answers!”
The Redfish Village location on 30A is the flagship store, and Paulette says, “This location is where we will train our owner/operators. It is also our test kitchen and brand building location.”
When deciding on my CUP option, I chose the Tune UP CUP and continued to visit with Paulette. The twenty ounce CUP of Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna was incredibly fresh and flavor packed, including cabbage, pineapple, quinoa, edamame and a house crafted Ginger Wasabi Glaze. Most of the recipes, including the desert CUP, are gluten free. CUP Greenware packaging is annually renewable creating an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional catering. Paulette even dreamed UP and put into action the attractive food layering method that keeps the proteins and produce from breaking down so they remain fresh for up to seven days after purchase.
The Compassion CUP is a fundraising program that builds awareness for non-profits that are making a difference in the community. Throughout the 2014 holiday season, CUP donated proceeds from Compassion CUP to Children’s Volunteer Health Network, and they are currently working with Food For Thought Outreach. CUP also lends support to the arts through Mic’d UP, an open mic night held monthly at their Redfish Village location. Paulette says, “It is just another way we can give back to our community, and we will do this in other communities as we expand.” If in need of effortless catering, wanting a picnic to take to the beach for the family, or just needing healthy fresh dining options at your fingertips in your own fridge, CUP is the Food You Pick Up! Open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Redfish Village at 2050 Hwy 30A W., Blue Mountain Beach, Florida 32459. Call call ahead to order CUPS at (850) 660-1165, or walk in and select a CUP from the onsite cooler. Sign up for CUPdates and view the menu at www.pickupcup.com. For ownership opportunities, contact Bryan DeGraw at (850) 660-1165. Follow CUPS on Facebook here.
Susan Benton is an award winning food and travel journalist, the owner of 30AEATS.com and partner in GulfCoastRestaurants.com, where she shares her passion for foodways, and her commitment to promoting local farmers, fisherman, chefs, artisans and the best restaurants along the Gulf Coast.
