Homer native Colleen Hatton has established Champaign-Urbana’s premiere catering company, Dish Passionate Cuisine, with her sister Liz. Order from Dish Passionate here.
Do you have any nicknames? How did you get them?
My sister Liz has called me Blondie for as long as I can remember. When we were growing up she had dark hair and I had blonde hair, but the nickname has stuck no matter what color my hair currently is.
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
If I knew I could not fail, I would start a not for profit to help teach kids to cook with cost effective as well as local foods. Honestly, that is my goal by the time I turn 50 even if I fail its worth the effort.
When was the last time you did something for the first time? What did you do?
Sadly, I don’t remember the last time I did something for the first time. I had some travel and experience goals for 2020 (before I turned 45) but they have all been moved to 2021.
Would you rather be a fish in a tank or in the open water?
I would rather be a fish in the open water.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a history teacher when I grew up.
Where is your favorite place to get takeout in Champaign County?
That is a tough question. There are so many amazing restaurants in Champaign County, but some of my favorites are Farrens. The Wheelhouse, Sunsinger and El Patio
What’s the milestone you’re working towards right now in your personal and professional life?
Professional milestone I am currently working on is continuing to find ways to keep Dish Passionate Cuisine operating during the Pandemic. We have been blessed to have loyal clients that use us for curb side pick up and delivery and being able to work with the U of I Athletic Department to help feed student athletes in quarantine.
On a personal level, there are a few milestones I am working towards, but as soon as possible I want to be able to travel more outside of the country. I love food from other cultures and I want to more about cooking and how it bring us together.
