First there were years of waitressing, bartending and a one day stint filling in for a drunken chef. At last, I graduated from Parsons School of Design in NYC and began a career in graphics focussing on restaurant design. I was a foodie and I had already built my first restaurant after all, at the age of 8. Never mind the equipment was made out of old cardboard boxes and the menus were handwritten. My first and only two customers were my grandparents. (They did pay the bill with real cash!)

In 1998, I drove my jeep from NYC to Tucson stopping at all the restaurant dives watching in awe how beautifully choreographed these establishments were. I wanted to be behind the counter in a mad rush serving amazing food and seeing patrons leaving content with full bellies. This was my AHAAA moment, enough of the computer graphics, it was time to get messy again.

Once in Tucson and after many application rejections (even at whataburger!) I finally was hired at Mongelli’s downtown whom the owner insisted he teach me everything from scratch. And thank goodness. Little did he know that aside from my love of food and worldy experiences cooking new foods with limited resources, I was no CIA grad. This ended up being the worlds best job and to Victor Mongelli I am forever grateful.

Create Cafe began in 1999 nestled inside a fitness club on Speedway. Club members alone were not going to keep us in business so the marketing wheels began to turn. A pharmaceutical rep asked if we could do catering. YES! of course we could, how hard could that be? By the end of that week we had 3 jobs, the next, 5 and eventually 5-10 a day became the norm. It was time to move. We were not sad to leave the scent of gym sweat behind.

We have been growing ever since. Create’s amazingly talented and kind hearted crew, generous and honest clientele, our fair share of blood, sweat and tears has kept us going. We have been asked to cater weddings and memorial services, provide lunches to local charter and private schools and camps. Wherever we leave our mark it is made with the quality and care we would give our own family.

You are what you create. We create really good food in an eclectic, funky atmosphere that encourages you to be yourself. We have fun all day and so should you.

Lauri Fay Marks Kaye
Owner/Create Cafe Inc.