Debbie Thomas opened Thomas Hill Organics in 2009, and quickly established herself as one of Paso Robles’ fine dining restaurateurs. In addition to Old World charm and stylish ambiance, the restaurant became known for its steadfast commitment to local food purveyors, especially those implementing organic and/or sustainable practices.

In the ensuing 11 years, Thomas has seen several changes in the local restaurant scene.

“When I first opened, few people knew or cared what farm-to-table was all about, but now I think most people expect it when they dine at higher-end restaurants,” she says. “Over the last couple of years, we now have more casual restaurants, but I believe we need some higher-end restaurants to attract tourists from major cities.” Debbie’s leadership and ingenuity in the farm fresh movement have showcased that a fine dining restaurant, with carefully curated ingredients, can succeed in this area — even uplift it.

Given her success with Thomas Hill Organics, one might expect Debbie to have a restaurant background. In fact, her roots in the farm-to-table approach came from an actual farm with a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.

“I had a 10-acre organic property with over 800 fruit and nut trees, a small vineyard and numerous row crops,” she recalls. “The company I worked for (Adidas), wanted me to move to Oregon or Washington, but I did not want to leave Paso Robles. Since I have always had a passion for great food and wine, I decided to open Thomas Hill Organics using the fruits of my labor.”