“I got my first set of oil paints when I was five years old. I’ve been making art ever since,” announced Stephen Teuscher, one of the trio that founded Studio-de-Verre (studio of glass). As for the other two, it was the illustrations in the Golden Braid books that got Kerry Transtrum hooked on art at age three. For Dan Cummings, he knew in the second grade, when he received all kinds of accolades for a saber-toothed tiger that he drew, exactly what he was going to do the rest of his life.

“I came to this country with nothing - zero dollars in my pocket, no English - but I came with hope. I knew I could build something if someone just gave me a chance.” When Amir Adabkha arrived in Salt Lake City in 1994, he had left behind not only his home country of Iran but also a life full of responsibility. Years later, through relentless work and an unwavering belief in opportunity, Amir would go on to open Zaferan Café (7835 S Highland Dr.), serving Persian and Mediterranean cuisine in Cottonwood Heights, and then Fresh Chicken Express, a revival of a South Salt Lake favorite.

“All I knew was that I saw something I loved and wanted to figure out how to make it myself. That moment changed everything. Making things has always been a part of who I am. Jewelry just happened to be the thing that stuck.” Erica Hogan, owner of The Land of Salt, grew up in South Jordan, Utah, just south of Salt Lake City, and spent much of her youth dancing - literally around the world.

“It gets me emotional when I see people having a good time. When the place is packed, I think - wow, we really built this. It’s an honest feeling. There’s nothing better,” reflected Zach Wade as he walked through the dining room of Cosmica, his restaurant in West Maven, on a Friday night. "It still gets me. We’re here to serve - to create a space where people can come together over food and wine and have a fabulous evening."

“I’m just a girl from Utah who wanted to offer something delicious to the community - something I didn’t feel like we had, especially at the time.”  In the heart of Salt Lake City’s Maven District, Passion Flour Patisserie stands as a beacon of culinary innovation, offering a unique blend of artistry and sustainability. Opened by Jessica Davies in 2015, this vegan pastry shop was born from a passion for exquisite desserts and a deep commitment to ethical and environmentally friendly practice.

“This is my baby. I come in each day to see the people who return again and again - who share their stories, their lives. That’s what makes it all worth it.” When Paramjit Kaur was eleven years old, she moved with her family from Punjab, India, to Salt Lake City. They already had family in the area and "it made sense for us to come here." A few years later, at the age of fifteen, she began working as a server at her family’s restaurant, Star of India. 

“Sugar runs in my veins,” Felicia (Fee) Hanson said with a smile, as she looked around the warm, whimsical space she has built. “I just love making people happy - with candy, with food, with community.” Sweet Hazel, Fee’s vegan bakery, market, and café, is tucked into a cozy strip that includes Leavity Bread and Star of India. Named after her beloved cat, Hazel, Fee said that “She was my soul cat. When I started this adventure, I didn’t know what to name it, and my sister-in-law said, ‘What about Sweet Hazel?’ It just felt right.”

“Cats can bring joy to people of all ages and can help them to get through emotional times. Sometimes a customer asks me, ‘What is your favorite cat?’ I say, I love every one of them. They are all different, and I want to share them with others.” That is how Lisa Chen, who moved to Utah from China in 2007, describes the inspiration behind MiaoMiao Café, a charming cat-themed space that merges handmade desserts, specialty drinks, and, of course, a family of cats she considers her children.

“I’ve always loved museums. I remember being really little, standing in front of a painting, and my mom saying, ‘Someone made that - with a brush.’” For Kathleen Bodenlos, that moment stuck. Raised in Pittsburgh by a mother who found ways to expose her daughters to art, science, and culture despite limited means, Kathleen learned early on that museums were places of possibility. “We didn’t have a lot, but my mom made sure we had the arts,” she said. “Looking back, I realize how much she sacrificed, but she lit a spark in me that’s still burning.” Today, as CEO of Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum, Kathleen is paying that gift forward - revitalizing the museum into one of Utah’s most dynamic cultural institutions. But the path was far from linear.

“I always say, food can make people happy - it brings them together, helps us understand each other. That is what I enjoy doing." Ragda Safah’s journey spans continents, conflicts, and cultures. From Baghdad to Bountiful, she has moved through war and displacement with quiet strength, building a life rooted in purpose, learning, and love. Her warmth is immediate, her determination unmistakable, and every dish she prepares, every item she stocks on the shelves of Sindbad's - her Middle Eastern market - carries the imprint of that remarkable path.

“I was eight years old when I started working,” said Peter Marshall, owner of Utah Book and Magazine. “Got five bucks a week. That was good money.” He dropped out of school just two weeks into the eighth grade. “Told my dad and grandpa I’d rather work with them. And I never looked back.” At no time has Peter stepped away - not once in sixty-two years.

“My family has been in the business since 1959 when my grandfather opened his first restaurant.” Today, Matt Crandall is the head chef and partner of three of Salt Lake City's most celebrated restaurants - Whiskey Street, White Horse Spirits & Kitchen, and Franklin Avenue Cocktails & Kitchen - all of which he created and runs alongside his longtime friend and business partner, Jason LeCates.

“I called it Define Fitness because I believe health looks different for everyone. You get to decide what it means to you.” From the border city of El Paso, Texas, to the heart of Millcreek, Utah, Valeria Macias has carved out a space that is deeply personal. Define Fitness, her women-centered studio, opened in the spring of 2025, is the culmination of a life journey shaped by hardship, healing, and the belief that fitness is for every kind of body.

“No matter where you are in your journey of figuring out your gender or your sexuality - and no matter how you identify - you are welcome here.” Kaitlyn Mahoney, owner of Under the Umbrella, never imagined she would open a bookstore, let alone the first queer-specific bookstore in the country. But when no one else stepped up to fill a void she knew existed, she decided to do it herself. “Somebody should open a queer bookstore… obviously there is a need. Nobody did. So, I did.”

“The address was 666 South State Street. I said, ‘Let’s go first thing in the morning.’ That’s too good to pass up.” When Andrew Earley stumbled upon the now-iconic location of Mark of the Beastro, it was the address that first grabbed him. The tongue-in-cheek name followed soon after, a nod to the playful spirit he wanted to cultivate - one part punk rock, one part art haven. What began as a full-service vegan restaurant in 2019 has since transformed into a cozy and welcoming café - one that shares its walls, and soul, with a vibrant performance venue known as The Beehive.

At the end of the day, we are here for young people. To see them. To believe in them. And to give them a space where their voices are not just heard but celebrated.” That is how Larissa Trout, Executive Director of Spy Hop, summed up the heart of an organization that has been quietly and powerfully transforming the lives of Utah’s youth for over twenty-five years. “I don’t know if I’ve ever worked anywhere else that centers young people as intentionally and as fully as this place does.”

“I tried to bring a little piece of the Lower East Side to Salt Lake City,” Corey Bullough said, reflecting on what first inspired him to open Fice Gallery back in 2008. Deeply influenced by the street art and creative culture of New York City, Corey wanted to create something he felt the city lacked - a space where young, emerging artists could be seen, heard, and supported.

“My family has been in the business since 1959 when my grandfather opened his first restaurant.” Today, Matt Crandall is the head chef and partner of three of Salt Lake City's most celebrated restaurants - Whiskey Street, White Horse Spirits & Kitchen, and Franklin Avenue Cocktails & Kitchen - all of which he created and runs alongside his longtime friend and business partner, Jason LeCates.

“I still remember the moment I realized that food had the power to bring people back to their childhood,” Jorge Galvez told me, seated at a corner table at Sol Agave in downtown Salt Lake City. “Someone took a bite and said it reminded them of their grandmother’s cooking. That’s when I knew - this was bigger than just a restaurant.”

“If you walk in and we say hello, and you leave with nothing, that’s still enough for us. That’s the culture we’ve built here.” Zallzo may be a made-up name, but the business behind it is as real and rooted as they come.