By Jennifer Colosimo

When you catch a glimpse of Soraya Khoury, she’s usually in her apron wiping off her hands from her latest creation in the kitchen at Hen Mother Cookhouse. She turns failed batter into cream scones, unused ingredients into this week’s genius avocado toast and the list goes on. Cooking for people is her passion—it’s how she serves her community—and coming up with new ways to make us go crazy over it is just who she is. Now, with her second location in downtown Alpharetta, she’s found a completely new audience to dazzle and fresh inspiration to keep serving up food to make her family proud.

What does cooking mean to you?
Soraya Khoury: I get my love of cooking from my dad. Growing up, I was always with him in the kitchen, just learning from him. He knew about flavors, and what went well together. When he passed, I sort of got the torch for cooking in my family. And I really love it. It’s really special that I get to do Hen Mother with my sister and remember him, together, every day. He’d probably be here with us, posted up at the bar talking with people every morning.

A lot of your staff have been with you since the beginning—what’s your secret?
SK: There are three things that matter to me in this business: the food, the service and the atmosphere. If we aren’t delivering all of them, then we’re not doing a good job. I’ve always encouraged my staff to think about that in the team mindset. We’re a family. We help each other out and they feel that. Because I care so much, they see it and it makes them care, too.

What does it mean to you to be Michelin-recommended?
SK: It’s so cool. I’ve been in the industry for a while, and baking is probably where I have the most friends, but being recognized like this kind of shows me that I am part of this talented group. It’s just really validating, and at the same time, so special for my team.