How SBDC Guidance Helped a Chef Bloom into Restaurant Ownership

Chef Stacé Hansen has always believed that food brings people together. Her journey began in Costa Rica, where she was born, before immigrating at age eight to join her parents who had come years earlier to build a better life. Surrounded by family and the vibrant flavors of her heritage, Stace developed a passion for cooking and hospitality that would shape her future. For years, she dreamed of opening her own restaurant, first testing the waters through her catering business, The Potted Palate, where she honed her skills at private events. Through this process, she worked closely with the SBDC, exploring business opportunities and preparing for the right moment to make her dream a reality.

That moment arrived in late 2023 when Stace discovered an opportunity to purchase a successful French café in Bayport, NY. Moving quickly to ensure the restaurant wouldn’t miss the crucial holiday season, she developed a new menu, trained staff, and worked tirelessly with the kitchen team to execute her vision. By December 2023, the transformation was complete: Sunflower Café opened its doors under new ownership, with Stace at the helm as both chef and owner.

Sunflower Café transports guests to the French countryside with its carefully crafted dishes. Morning patrons enjoy flaky quiches with herb-infused crusts, while evening menus feature escargot, fresh Long Island duck, locally sourced seafood, and seasonal vegetables—all prepared with Stace’s signature touch. The restaurant thrives as a family affair, with Stace’s daughter Katherine managing front-of-house operations and her son Espen serving as pastry chef. Of the original staff, Stace retained five employees and has since grown the team to fifteen.

With a $1.425 million investment that included the building and assets, Stace has built more than just a restaurant she′s created a community hub. Projected first-year sales of 1.2 million reflect the café’s warm reception. “Tables are where life happens,” Stace says, emphasizing her commitment to both culinary excellence and supporting local purveyors, farms, and fishermen. From her early days in Costa Rica to her current success in Bayport, Stace’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and the power of bringing people together around great food.

** Our success stories focus on the work the SBDC has done with our small business clients and does not constitute an expressed or implied endorsement by the NYSBDC of the company and/or their products and services.