Elizabeth Banks has many years of restaurant industry experience in five different states, with the last four spent in Northern California. She has worked every angle of fine dining, from bartending to serving to general management. She has been entrenched in fine food and wine for ten years and derives personal satisfaction from bringing excellent service to others.
Elizabeth earned a BFA from the University of Evansville in Indiana. She spent a portion of her college career studying in England and has traveled extensively throughout the United Kingdom and Italy. Liz also holds a personal training certification through the American Council on Exercise. Her work history and educational background are diverse and make for a unique set of skills that move her forward creatively and enhance her ability to problem solve, generate constructive ideas and to implement as needed.
Elizabeth spent her formative years in Sonoma County, California where her mother operates local farm markets. Her aunt owns a small bookstore and café, her sister owned a restaurant for seven years, and her grandfather was a chef for all his life. Most recently she married Ian Banks, a chef of 15 years and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.
Elizabeth’s family’s influence created a passion in her for local, community enterprise. She has a commitment to small business, and to elevating these potentially overlooked endeavors to their deserved status in the industry.
Elizabeth’s great desire to share her joy of life coupled with her drive to empower small businesses are her lifetime goals. She is a dedicated individual who will make a difference in her field, serving small family businesses as well as the local community at large.