Longtime resident Meghan Norwood has recently opened A Slice of Heaven in Scottsville. This is a locally owned family restaurant, run by family and friends. Offerings on the menu include made-from-scratch, hand-tossed pizza, burgers, North Carolina BBQ, famous Hot Dog Cart hot dogs and more.

“I have loved Scottsville since I moved here and I hope my restaurant adds to the charm and hospitality that is already here,” she adds.
   
Education: Tandem Friends High School and Piedmont Virginia Community College.   
   
Career History:  After high school, I went to work for my father’s shoe retail company and worked my way from the bottom to managing and operating two retail stores myself. I have always enjoyed working with people and wanted to continue that path. Along with working at the shoe stores, I also worked at a few locally owned sandwich shops where I feel in love with making delicious food and being with people at the same time! I decided to take a break from working and go back to get my degree in Business and Administration. After a semester at PVCC, my friend Meghan Sibbald and I decided to take a leap and run our very own hot dog cart right here in Scottsville!

What was your first job? It was very official…I cleaned the bathrooms and stockroom in my father’s shoe store!

Where did you grow up?  I moved to Scottsville when I was 12 from Eureka, Mo. I feel I did most of my growing up here, riding horses and playing on the James River.   

What did you want to be when you grew up?  I have had many dreams along the way, but I have always loved food. I love watching the Food Network and have always wanted to have my very own restaurant!

How did you end up owning a business?  I have worked full time since graduating high school so while taking a break from work to focus on my degree was not something I was used to doing. My good friend Meghan and I threw around many ideas of what we could do here locally in Scottsville, when we brought up the idea of a hot dog cart we knew it would fit perfectly. I created my business with the hot dog cart, which has blossomed into this fantastic restaurant with the help of my friends and family.

Why this business? Why not?! What would be more fun than working with your closest friends and family while serving great food and interacting with the community! We want to provide a clean, warm, fun atmosphere for friends and family to come and enjoy great company as well as great food and the hot dog cart was just not big enough.

Who is your most inspirational leader and why?  First and foremost, my parents. They have always been there for me and encouraged me following my dreams. My father started his career when he was young and built it into a great success and I have always been amazed at how hard he works and want to follow his path.    

What is the biggest business decision you’re wrestling with right now? What to do with the “party room.“ I have another room I thought of turning into a party room for anyone to rent out for parties or meetings, but I am thinking I am going to need it for more seating, I hate to see people walk in when I am packed and not have somewhere to seat them. I am also thinking of incorporating an ice cream parlor into the mix, as my milkshake machine is just not big enough for amount of ice cream orders I have.

What is the best thing that’s ever happened while running your business? Seeing people’s faces light up when they take their first bite of their meal! I love pleasing people, especially with food! In the first week of opening I was presented with a “Pizza Award” from one of our customers, Sophie Wright, which really touched me, Thank you Sophie! Also, having the help of my friend Alex Carroll, in teaching us his chef secrets. He has been a chef for 13 years, starting out as a pizza chef in Italy, and has a passion for pizza which he has instilled in Meghan and myself. We have established a relationship with our pizza, as we make the dough from scratch daily, and hand toss each and every pie.

What is the funniest or weirdest thing that has ever happened while running your business? There are too many to choose from! The funniest thing would be when Meghan and I were first learning how to toss pizzas and the many unique ways we caught the dough! You would never guess you could catch a spinning dough ball with the tip of your pinky.   

Do you have a website? Twitter? Facebook?  I do have a web site, http://www.my-sliceofheaven.com. A Facebook account is on its way and I am just not sure I am ready to Twitter.