photo by Joanna Calazans

Ellie Basch | Salad

At Savor Café, pineapple and basil spike the grilled cheese Panini. An ethereal dressing hovers over Ellie's award-winning avocado citrus salad. And brioche meets peanut butter and bananas in The Elvis. Two years ago, she never imagined a restaurant. Then again, the longtime caterer never imagined her salad would win the 2007 ChefQuest and a trip to Australia, either. At the time, Ellie was managing Breadwinners, a culinary business training program for low-income women. But the contest rekindled her passion for cooking. "I realized I missed hanging out with chefs, being around that creativity." She passed the Breadwinners torch and, in April, opened Savor. Located in Manchester's Corrugated Box Building, Savor draws creative professionals, neighbors, and downtowners who stop in for take-home dinners. "It's exciting to be part of building a community," she says of the emerging Manchester district."I get up every day and can't wait to get to work."