Karen Davis is this year’s third prize winner of The Jamaica Observer/Grace, Kennedy Valentine Menu Competition.

It is interesting to note that she placed second in last year’s competition. At that time she worked as an auto parts sales clerk while dreaming of one day operating her own small restaurant and catering service.

Today she is doing just that as she is the owner-operator of Kay’s Country Kitchens — a restaurant and pastry shop in Golden Spring, St Andrew, and she supplies lunches to National Processors Ltd — a Grace company.

She is delighted to be fulfilling her dreams but describes operating a business as “very challenging”. To this end she is being trained how to deal with the business side of the enterprise.

Karen entered the competition again this year because she wanted very badly to win the first prize this time. Although she has not gotten that top award, she is still happy to be among the winners for the second consecutive year.