Women's History Month: Sisters operate downtown restaurant mostly staffed by women
CHICAGO (CBS) – We're continuing to celebrate Women's History Month.
We're highlighting two sisters going back to their Irish roots. They're running a popular downtown restaurant staffed mostly by women
The stream's Jamaica Ponder takes us to The Dearborn.
In the heart of Chicago's downtown, Amy and Clodagh Lawless own and operate the Dearborn restaurant, an homage to their Irish heritage and culture.
Hailing from the Western coast of Ireland, the sisters spent much of their childhood in restaurants and pubs owned by their parents until the family immigrated to the United States in 1998. Eventually making their way to Chicago.
"And then, 25 years later, here we are in the Dearborn," Clodagh said.
The Dearborn is the sisters' first venture together - though it's far from their first time running the show.
"We didn't know it at the time when we were complaining when we were all young enough to wash dishes and then go to, you know, cleaning tables and bus and tables to bartending. Our parents were really setting us up for our future," Clodagh said.
"And I think that really has been a huge part of our success at the Dearborn," Amy said. "You know, you don't see that often in restaurants nowadays. It's very unique, first of all, for two sisters to have such a big restaurant and we take huge pride in that."
And the restaurant isn't only led by women but operated with a staff majorly comprised of them - though not by design.
"We honestly just went out and hire the best person for the job. So it wasn't, you know, premeditated. We're going to hire all these women, but it just happened organically that like all of a sudden you have over 50 women working for us on our payroll and a lot of them in leadership roles. And we're like, Oh yeah, the ladies let's go," Clodagh said.
Their pastry program is headed by chef Juliana Westgor who's worked with the family for over a decade.
"I mean, everything I have, right? Ice cream, chocolate cake. I have cookies and homemade ice cream," she said.
They even have a specialty cocktail list for Women's History Month, amplifying women in the world of wine and spirits.
"I was very excited to put forward cocktails that were headlining female-owned and managed master distilled and master blended brands for Women's History Month," said beverage director Sarah Clark.
Amy and Clodagh credit the women running the Dearborn with making it such a popular downtown destination. The sisters say their staff really serve as an inspiration.
"It's just so enlightening. And to see our ladies at work here, because every day they just inspire us to be, to be better. Yeah," Clodagh said.
