Gourmet Girls is more than a typical catering service. The charming Perkins Road underpass area spot, owned by the artistically minded Kathy Mangham, also offers a range of fresh pastries and delicate edibles that are as beautiful as they as tasty. Earlier this year, Mangham began offering what she calls “Dutch lunch”–an ever-changing rotation of unique lunch options served directly through the Dutch door of the shop; the lunch service is typically offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will continue through the end of October before a holiday hiatus. (Keep an eye on the shop’s Instagram account or call 225-252-0999 for up-to-date info.) We caught up with Mangham to get to know her—and what she does—a little bit better.

1. What is a typical day like for you and your team? We start our day by making task lists, shopping at the farmers market on the days they are open, and then prepping for the day’s orders, events or Dutch lunch.

2. What is your professional background? How did you get into the retail field? While still in college and studying fine art, I opened a mail-order gift basket company, The Silver Spoon. A year later in 1993, that evolved into a gourmet food shop, tea room and restaurant, which I sold in 2008. In 2010 I opened Gourmet Girls, and we are now happily in our fifth year.

3. What sets your business apart? My never-ending quest to learn more about every facet of the culinary arts.

4. What is one thing you think customers should know about your store that they may not be aware of? Our goal is to produce beautiful, fresh food that not only looks good but tastes amazing as well.

5. How do you keep your offerings fresh and up to date? I have an elf.

6. Can you share a hint about what diners will see from you next season? More cakes, more pastries, more confections and more chocolate!

7. When did your store open and how has it grown?  After selling The Silver Spoon I took a brief hiatus, after which I realized cooking was truly my passion and life would not be as rewarding without it.

8. What are a few of your favorite items that you offer right now? Without any doubt, the cakes.

9. What are a few must-have items for fall? Everything on our new tailgate menu, which has fresh spins on the traditional and small catered dinner parties.

10. What are some of your best-selling items? Our gilded cakes and handpainted cookies, our seasonal charcuteries, the ever-popular Shrimp Parisiane and our small-batch house-made jams.