Our Story
Soup for the Soul
November 23rd, 2011. It was the Wednesday right before Thanksgiving, and I'll always remember this day vividly. I had just finished my last final exam before holiday break during undergrad, and was walking back to my apartment. It had been an unusually brisk month for California, so I was dressed in three outer layers and this thick, obnoxiously bright, orange scarf that my mom had made me in high school. I argued that I wouldn't need it in sunny California, but as the saying goes, mothers know best. I was waiting for the crosswalk at the corner of Bancroft and Fulton when I received a phone call from an unknown number. I clicked answer, and I heard my mom's voice on the other line. She was diagnosed with malignant melanoma a few weeks back. She was going to wait until after Thanksgiving to share the news, but she had less time than she thought. I hopped on a plane that afternoon, with my orange scarf wrapped tightly around my neck. Her cancer was too far progressed for chemo or radiation to work, so she spent the last two months of her life surrounded by family and friends. To keep her spirits up, she cooked, a LOT. Soups were by far her favorite, because she claimed the dish to be the best food for the soul, and no matter how bad your day is going, a hearty meal and lively atmosphere can cheer anyone up. My mom fought hard, but she passed away nine weeks later. Simply remembering the woman who raised me wasn't enough. After her passing, I decided to open The Simmer Shop to honor her life, and do my part in bringing comfort and radiance to the lives of so many others who may be going through a hidden battle of their own.
About the Owner
Miguel Accardi is a 32-year-old entrepreneur born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut. During his childhood, his parents owned a local cafe and he would spend his days after school helping out around the restaurant. From a young age, Miguel has always been surrounded by food - whether he was cooking it, cleaning it up, or eating it - and it runs deep in his family's roots. After his parents separated in 2005, Miguel and his mother moved across the state to start a new life in Colorado. For a while, the culinary arts disappeared from Miguel's life because cooking reminded him too much of old family memories at the restaurant. After high school, he went away to university in California to study economics. However, after his mother's passing, he left school early to open his own restaurant in 2015. On September 17th, almost a year after the loss of his parent, he had his grand opening. After a well-respected local food critic left a stellar review in the newspaper, The Simmer Shop blew up in popularity and Miguel quickly climbed the ladder of success in the food industry.
- "People ask me all the time what the secret to my success is, and I gotta say...never take the lessons you learn from your parents for granted. All of my recipes are ones from my mom, or ones that she and I have created together. Family is a powerful resource."
- "My mom always said, if all else fails, give 'em a spoonful of comfort. At the very least, let them leave with a content stomach."
- "Notice the orange color scheme? My freshman year in high school, my mom knitted me this super loud orange scarf that I refused to wear. The color is a tribute to her."
