About
Debbie Thomas
Debbie Thomas left a fast-paced career in upper management with Adidas, Rival, and Starter to pursue a life centered around food, farming, and hospitality. She co-founded Thomas Hill Farms in Paso Robles, growing organic produce and launching a successful CSA program. This led to the creation of Thomas Hill Organics, a farm-driven restaurant that became a beloved fixture in Paso Robles, helping to shape the region into a culinary destination.
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After 14 years of restaurant ownership, Debbie turned to writing, sharing her experiences in the food and wine industry through national magazines and her memoir, Fork Me, which chronicles the chaos, challenges, and hilarity of running a restaurant. She has also created an educational series of coloring books, The World of Wine Through Color focusing on wine grape varietals. The series includes Adult Wine & Food Pairing Coloring Book, Bordeaux Grapes, A Coloring Journey, and Rhone Varietals, A Coloring Exploration. Thus, blending her love of storytelling, food, and wine with creativity.
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Today, she continues to write, travel, and explore the world of wine and food—while always keeping a sense of humor about life’s unpredictable twists.
An Interview with Debbie
As Featured in BOLD Magazine
Meet Debbie Thomas
We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Debbie Thomas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Debbie below.
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Hi Debbie, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
Personal experience. I grew up in a dysfunctional family environment. I overcame the challenges and adversity by overachieving in everything I did.
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Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I just sold my Paso Robles, California, Thomas Hill Organics restaurant. After 14 years, it was time to follow my heart and passion. Leaving behind a successful career was scary, but it has led to a richer and more fulfilling life where food, wine, and travel have created a remarkable experience. I also have a short-term rental where I manage the marketing, maintenance, and guest communication. Financially this is beneficial to my travel budget.
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If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I did not have a culinary background when I opened my restaurant. I did have a strong business sense from working for major companies like Adidas and Starter. I was in Sales and Marketing, which are critical elements of running a restaurant. The cooking part I left to my executive chefs.
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Another quality was exceptional customer service. It was all about the customer, not about me or my chef. This is vital for a successful restaurant.
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Last, I was a fair and firm leader. Listening to the needs of my team, and a bit of empathy, are all key. Hiring, training, and managing staff is not an easy task, but very important so you can build an amazing team.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
I have found transitioning from a 24/7 work week to retirement a challenge. Suddenly, there is no set schedule, and the absence of a daily routine has been hard. I frequently overdo it by taking on too many assignments and then I crash and burn. It’s hard but I am learning to pace myself so I can be more productive.