Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
Pardis Stitt reflects on 35 years of hospitality at Bottega — Meet Bham’s James Beard nominees
Reading time: 5 minutes
This year, Birmingham’s restaurants garnered an impressive five James Beard Award nominations. Bham Now is sitting down with each nominee to learn more about their backgrounds, inspiration and goals.
Bottega, known in part for its gorgeous 1925 Beaux-Arts building and elegant decor details, is no stranger to success.
Pardis Stitt, co-owner and operator of Bottega alongside her husband, award-winning chef Frank Stitt, has once again been nominated for Outstanding Hospitality by the James Beard Foundation, making this the second time the restaurant has been named a semifinalist.
The hospitality category specifically recognizes a restaurant’s ability to serve “as a beacon for the community” and demonstrate “consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations.”
Stitt brings a discerning eye to the guest experience at her restaurants — which also include Chez Fonfon and the temporarily-closed Highlands Bar & Grill — that sets them apart from the rest. We spoke with her about her career, philosophy of hospitality and the details that go into making an excellent atmosphere.
A career born by chance
It may be difficult to glean from first glance, but despite her career in forming human connections, Stitt considers herself an introvert.
“I care about people, and I have this crazy empathetic side that always wants to help, nurture and shepherd those along who want it — and some who may not want it.
“I love being with people, teaching people and engaging with our guests. It’s such a wonderful thing.”
Pardis Stitt, co-owner + operator at Bottega
She originally intended to become a counselor or therapist after studying psychology in college, but life had other plans for her. Stitt first entered the restaurant business as a favor to a friend.
“A friend of mine, who was managing a restaurant, had asked me to help her out one weekend on the door as a host…
“I did it, and I was hooked. I absolutely loved it.”
When she was asked to host again the next weekend, “that was it” for her.
Cultivating soul + hospitality
For restaurants like Bottega, which have spent decades cultivating its atmosphere and reputation, hosts and servers don’t generally see their jobs as a temporary gig on the way to their next big thing.
Bottega’s front-of-house training is “rigorous” and takes between four and six weeks.
“It sounds daunting, but we don’t do this for the short term. We’re not a short term spot. If somebody’s just coming for the summer, this is not the place.
“We have restaurant professionals, and for so many, this is their career, and we take it seriously. They take it seriously. But we have fun with it, too.”
Pardis Stitt, co-owner + operator at Bottega
One of the many benefits of having long-term staff (some of which have been at Bottega since the beginning, 35 years ago) is the relationships that are built between guests and staff.
Stitt takes pride in seeing generations of families come back again and again — for example, seeing children in the restaurant who one day decide to host their wedding reception there.
“There’s a heartbeat here. Many, many heartbeats. [An employee] may come in not having had a great day, but we ask that everything be left outside. We feed off one another’s energy.”
A reputation for excellence
Ultimately, she said, building trust is at the core of what she strives to create in her restaurants. A national recognition like a James Beard Award nomination is an honor she accepts graciously, but it isn’t why she does her job. To Stitt, the award serves as a “tremendous” reassurance — not just for the restaurant, but for the city itself — that Birmingham is “fabulous” and that the culinary scene is thriving.
More importantly, she views the recognition as validation for her team’s relentless pursuit of daily perfection. Pointing to the decade-long James Beard semifinalist nominations of sister restaurant Highlands Bar & Grill before its own national win, she noted that these accolades speak to the consistency of showing up and “pushing” to be the best during every single service.
“What we do is for the people who come into our restaurants. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about.
“Hopefully, what it does is that for our team, it’s really important to receive that recognition… that we’re all working towards a common goal, which is to create these incredible experiences for our guests.”
Pardis Stitt, co-owner + operator at Bottega
Read our other profiles on Birmingham’s 2026 James Beard Award Semifinalists:
- Bayonet’s Rob McDaniel strives to uplift aspiring restauranteurs + chefs
- Pizza Grace brings fine-dining care to a casual table
- La Fête was destined to be ‘a restaurant of regulars’
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