The Serving Spoon
Natasha Menke, owner of the Serving Spoon, is the modern-day Wonder Woman of the restaurant industry. She and her husband, Craig, opened the breakfast spot in 1998, only one day after taking ownership of the original business that began in 1992. At that time, she was a mom of two, a young woman in love, and a hustler with work experience rich in hospitality, and her superhero abilities were in their infancy. Little did Natasha know that after 20 years of business, she would be the spine of her restaurant operation, drawing all elements to the core: community.
Natasha met Craig when she was 17, he was 22, while working at First Watch. After many years of management, Craig wrestled with what to do next. With much support from Natasha and resources from a Tony Robbins conference, the young couple set out to build a business of their own, and deliver Craig’s vision of community and laughter gathered at the breakfast counter, to real life.
The couple wasted no time tailoring the menu and the restaurant’s style to their taste. They progressively looked for inspiration for future menu items during travels, and continued to build their family, all while they enriched the Sarasota community with belonging. Relationships bloomed beyond kitchen-to-table. Neighborhood faces that frequented the Serving Spoon developed in to friends. Customers shared in the joys of their marriage, three pregnancies, and even in the hardship of Craig’s illness and death.
In 2000, Craig was diagnosed with terminal cancer, after a tumor was discovered on his brain. At the time, he and Natasha were owners of three Serving Spoon locations. Craig continued to work in the restaurant, remaining the good-spirited man everyone knew him to be. When treatments became more frequent, the couple sold the business, holding onto the note. After Craig’s passing in 2014, Natasha regained ownership. Never did it cross her mind to let what she and her husband had built go under. But she did scale back to operating only the original location, where it all began. She wanted to focus on what was important: her family, tight-knit community, and keeping Craig’s legacy alive.
To celebrate 20 years of business, Natasha decided to designate this past July 18 as a throwback day. All of the grown Menke kids even returned to the breakfast house to serve the original menu from opening day—coffee for a dollar; plates of two eggs, bacon and home fries for $4.95—and to accept donations towards Duke Brain Tumor Center (raising $4,200) in honor of Craig.
“Community was a huge support system for us during his four years of illness and now these years after his passing,” Natasha said. “Everyone loved him, and he would have wanted this to be fun and not somber.”
Natasha admits that while the Serving Spoon is largely a product of Craig’s vision, the restaurant and its people are her foundation and what keeps her going. One of the hardest transitions was taking on the roles that Craig would have assumed. They were a good-cop, bad-cop team, and she liked being the nice one.
“Sometimes I feel like I can channel him,” she said, “and often times I think, ‘WWCD: What would Craig do?’”
Today, Natasha seems to have a knack for the balancing act. From working in the kitchen and cutting up 150 avocados a week, to greeting customers inbetween the adrenaline rushes, planning for the next menu special, and being home for her kids after school. Her superhero abilities appear to be operating at full capacity, as she handles all of her roles with grace. Although, she humbly attributes her accomplishments to her amazing staff.
“Everyone counts,” Natasha said. “Whether they come for a muffin and juice or a salmon scramble, people come here and feel appreciated. This is what we envisioned. And Craig would be so happy with how it is now.”
The Serving Spoon: 1825 S Osprey Ave, Sarasota, 941-388-7235
