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What makes Perini Ranch Steakhouse so unique is the amazing town of Buffalo Gap. <\/strong>The steakhouse sits on a working ranch, and you don\u2019t just visit Perini Ranch because you are hungry. We have created the ultimate West Texas dining experience. It is the perfect definition of a \u201cdestination restaurant.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n What do you think people might not know about the day in the life\u00a0of\u00a0Lisa Perini\u00a0and your role in the family business?\u00a0\u2028<\/strong>As part of our entrepreneurial spirit, we all roll up our sleeves and get the job done. If it needs to get done, you do it! I am a master juggler and spend a lot of time making sure everyone is well taken care of with keeping all the balls in the air. In a dream world, and hopefully sometime soon, I would like to start working on recipe development. It is a craft I am eager to master! <\/p>\n How did you meet your husband? <\/strong>Tom and I both were serving on the board of a local non-profit and both were recently single. I think the best part of our relationship now is that we\u2019re best friends. I truly believe all good relationships have a strong foundation of friendship. And, who thought you could work with your spouse?\u00a0 Not me.\u00a0 But, it\u2019s worked \u2013 we each have our areas of expertise and we respect those boundaries.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n What is the best thing about being in the restaurant\/hospitality\u00a0business?<\/strong>\u00a0What we love the most about the steakhouse is that it\u2019s not just a restaurant, it\u2019s an experience.\u00a0 No one comes here because they are hungry. They drive past many restaurants, and typically plan way in advance, to celebrate a great occasion at Perini Ranch Steakhouse. We\u2019re really proud to host these celebrations and be part of our customers lives. <\/p>\n What is the worst thing about being in the\u00a0business? \u00a0<\/strong>Everyone in this business knows about all the usual day-to-day struggles, but in our case, we live here at the ranch.\u00a0 So, I like to say, the good news is \u201cwe live here at the ranch\u201d and the bad news is \u201cwe live here at the ranch,\u201d and it\u2019s really hard to clock out. Tom and I make sure that when we do leave the ranch, we leave work behind us and focus on taking time away. <\/p>\n How do you maintain your sanity with being a busy\u00a0restaurateur?\u00a0 <\/strong>TRAVEL, WINE AND DEAR FRIENDS. Preferably together.\u00a0 The\u00a0restaurant\u00a0business can be one of the most exhausting businesses to be in. Surround yourself with people smarter than you and build a loyal team! It takes a village and I feel very grateful for our village. <\/p>\n What do you do for fun?<\/strong>\u00a0 Tom and I love to travel. I had always dreamed of going places but my family didn\u2019t have those resources. For several years now, Tom has bribed me with travel and it has worked so far. <\/p>\n If you were going to give one piece of advice to a young person who wanted to get into the business\u00a0of barbecue or just “food” in general,\u00a0what would that be?<\/strong>\u00a0Go to work for someone and make sure that this crazy lifestyle is what you want.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s a lifestyle, not a job.\u00a0<\/p>\n What’s next for\u00a0Lisa Perini?\u00a0If you could do something outside of the\u00a0restaurant\/hospitality\u00a0business, what would that be?\u00a0<\/strong>When we got married, we made a pledge that there would be one Perini Ranch Steakhouse, but we would work every day to make it better, and that\u2019s held true.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019ve grown by opening other businesses that are all about our brand and hospitality\u00a0 – lodging, a retail store, a coffee shop, an event business, and more!\u00a0 So, it\u2019s never dull at Perini Ranch Steakhouse. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0When you actually get the chance…what do you do for fun\u00a0with girlfriends or\u00a0a “Night Out?”\u00a0<\/strong>\u2028The best night out with friends is meeting at someone\u2019s house for drinks and hors d\u2019oeuvres and catching up on family, friends, etc. <\/p>\n \u00a0When you have guests in town are there any local restaurants, shops, or favorite attractions you like to direct them to?\u00a0 <\/strong>Well, of course the Perini Ranch Country Market<\/a> \u2013 a little retail experience focusing on the kitchen, garden, dogs and vintage kid toys. \u00a0\u00a0All the things we love!\u00a0\u00a0 And, The Gap Caf\u00e9 \u2013 our new coffee shop.\u00a0 We have partnered with a lovely young lady who is a pastry chef and we\u2019re really proud of what we\u2019re selling.\u00a0 Hot breakfast and lunches coming soon (yeah, recipe development!). <\/p>\n \u00a0Favorite Musician? \u00a0<\/strong>Crazy \u2013 I love Tony Bennett<\/a>.\u00a0 And, a contrast to that, Texas music sensation, Aaron Watson<\/a> is our neighbor and friend here in Buffalo Gap \u2014 when he worked here at the steakhouse as a waiter (many years ago) and wanted weekends off to sing, we were skeptical.\u00a0 Shows we don\u2019t know much about music!<\/p>\n \u00a0If you were to empty out your purse on the table right now, what would we find? \u2028<\/strong>A wallet, checkbook, 2 phone charges, 5 kinds of lipstick, 10 pens, receipts from last week\u2019s catering, a temperature gauge, and a big set of keys. \u2028<\/p>\n \u00a0Any\u00a0upcoming events, you would like to share happening on the ranch?<\/strong>\u00a0Let\u2019s see \u2013 we do have a new book coming out Perini Ranch Steakhouse: Stories and Recipes for Real Texas Food. <\/a>I\u2019m really excited about the upcoming launch.\u00a0\u00a0 Our first book came out 19 years ago and it was a really hard project.\u00a0 At that time, no recipes were really in writing here, and we had no idea what we were doing. I famously told Tom that if there were ever to be a new book, there would have to be a new woman \u2013 it was truly the hardest thing I\u2019d ever done. Well, I obviously retracted that statement and with our incredible team of Cheryl Alters Jamison<\/a> as writer and Wyatt McSpadden<\/a> as photographer, it was such a fun experience. I tell everyone I\u2019ve had more fun at work this year than in a long time! <\/p>\n Is there a local or national charitable cause that you support and would like more people to be aware of?<\/strong>\u00a0Well, because Tom and I met while serving on the board of the Ben Richey Boys Ranch in Abilene<\/a>, it\u2019s near and dear to our heart.\u00a0\u00a0 Also, we love animals and our dogs are such an important part of our world \u2013 we have two basset hounds \u2013 Gus and Jett.\u00a0 We avidly support several animal rescue projects as well.\u00a0 <\/p>\n We end each\u00a0interview\u00a0with a piece we can share from your kitchen to the reader\u2019s home kitchen. Think of it as sharing a recipe card from one good friend to another. What is a favorite recipe you like to share from your home kitchen when you are entertaining with friends and family? <\/strong>Since I grew up in South Carolina, I love to make Shrimp & Grits for friends.\u00a0 There are many variations on this recipe, and I rarely order it when I\u2019m out to dinner, because I believe this is the way it should be!\u00a0\u00a0 Tom\u2019s done a good job of adopting my Southern food favorites \u2013 he now loves boiled peanuts as much as I do!<\/p>\n For the grits:<\/strong><\/p>\n 4 cups chicken stock<\/p>\n \u00be cup half and half<\/p>\n 1 teaspoon salt<\/p>\n Bring to a boil and gradually whisk in 1 cup regular grits- we use Geechie Boy Grits<\/a>, Edisto Island, SC. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or so until thickened.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Add:<\/p>\n \u00be cup cheddar cheese<\/p>\n \u00bc cup Parmesan cheese<\/p>\n 2 Tablespoons butter<\/p>\n \u00bd teaspoon hot sauce (Crystal<\/a>, preferred)<\/p>\n Let simmer at very low heat. <\/p>\n For The Shrimp:<\/strong><\/p>\n Cook 6 bacon slices in a large skillet until crisp, cool, and rough chop.\u00a0 In the bacon drippings saute 1 cup sliced mushrooms.\u00a0 Add \u00bd cup green onion and a couple of cloves of garlic (minced)\u00a0 and 1 pound 26\/30 count shrimp, when the mushrooms are ready.\u00a0 Stir in \u00bd cup chicken broth, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and a little more hot sauce if you like.\u00a0\u00a0 The shrimp will cook in 2-3 minutes. Serves 4. <\/p>\n Serve this shrimp mixture over the grits and it\u2019s a perfect dinner. Might add a loaf of crusty bread and a great bottle of Chablis.<\/em><\/p>\n I know what I\u2019m serving for my next dinner party! Thank you Lisa for such a lovely chat. I encourage you all to make a plan to put <\/strong>Perini Ranch<\/a> on your \u201cbucket list\u201d of travel destinations, and make sure you <\/strong>Click Here<\/a> to secure your copy of newest cookbook available soon. Its a beauty!<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0Lisa Perini\u2019s Shrimp & Grits<\/strong><\/h2>\n