Photo by Jon Anderson
Adam Lee is the manager of the Cajun Seafood House in the Rocky Ridge community in Vestavia Hills, Alabama.
Adam Lee is the manager of the Cajun Seafood House in The Shops at Oak Park in the Rocky Ridge community.
Q: How long have you been doing this?
A: I’ve been doing this close to going on 30 years in the restaurant industry. I’ve been here a little over three years, and I took over the management position about a year ago.
Q: What made you decide you wanted to go into the restaurant industry?
A: I’ve always liked people. I’ve always liked pleasing people, cooking at home — that type of thing. That just seemed like the perfect business for someone that likes to make people happy and show ‘em a good time and present them with some good food and great service.
Q: What kind of restaurants have you worked at before coming here?
A: I did some fine dining at the old Merritt House that was owned by the same people that own The Bright Star. It was in Five Points South, next to the Hot & Hot Fish Club. Richard Scrushy ate their back in the day when I was working there 27 years ago. I’ve done everything from barbecue to seafood. I lived on the Gulf Coast and worked in seafood restaurants down there, mainly steakhouses, but I’ve done barbecue joints to just general places that offer up a smidge of everything.
Q: How long have you been back here in the Birmingham area?
A: I’ve been back here about four to five years. My mother got ill, and I moved up to take care of her until she passed last year.
Q: What’s your favorite kind of food?
A: I love pasta — anything Italian, but I do love spicy foods, so the Cajun place is a good fit for me. For me, the spicier, the better.
Q: What’ the best thing here on the menu?
A: It would probably be one of Avi’s specials. He created a couple of dishes, probably like the stuffed grouper, the stuffed shrimp, stuffed crabcake mix that he makes himself. It comes on a bed of rice or mashed potatoes with a side of asparagus or spinach. They’re really top-notch.
Q: Do you have hobbies outside of work?
A: I used to play a lot of disc golf, and I like hiking and outdoor stuff — anything to get me outdoors. I’ve worked inside for 30 years, so I like to get out on my off days. When my mom got sick, working and taking care of her — that was two full-time jobs, so the hobbies kind of fell to the wayside.
Q: Where is your favorite outdoor place to go?
A: Locally, probably somewhere like Cheaha State Park or Oak Mountain State Park. I don’t like the hot weather. I like the cool fall weather, so hiking through the wilderness to the foothills when it’s nice and cool is nice. Otherwise, if it’s hot, send me to the beach where I can cool off.
Q: What is something about you most people might not know?
A: I’m pretty much an open book. They know I love Star Wars and Marvel and sports — hockey, football. Anytime there’s a hockey game or football game on, I don’t care who’s playing. I’m gonna watch it.
Q: There are not a lot of big hockey fans in the South. How did you become a big hockey fan?
A: Actually, the Seinfeld episode where the girl was dating that face painter, Puddy, and he was a New Jersey Devils Fan. They were going to a game, and it turns out he’s got his face painted, and she couldn’t date him because he’s a face painter. It was just that whole thing — that got me into hockey and made me become a New Jersey Devils fan also. Not only am I from the South who loves hockey, but I’m also a New Jersey Devils fan on top of that. Not the Nashville Predators or anybody else. I went with the Devils. That Seinfeld episode — that was just so funny to me. I was like 19 or 20 when that came out. It was just hilarious to me, and I’ve rode with them ever since.
Q: If you could go or travel anywhere, where would you want to go?
A: Ireland.
Q: Why?
Some of my roots, some of the ancestry, but the land itself is just beautiful. It’s so green, so virgin, and it’s a little chilly, which leans more toward the kind of weather I like. I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland and see the Blarney stone, just go up in the hills. I’ve been to Jamaica. I’ve been to Mexico. I’ve been to a couple of different countries, but that’s the one I really want to go to.
