Meet Kelly Lancarte | Director Public Relations and Marketing

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly Lancarte and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
Isak Dinesen once wrote, “all sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story.” I love this quote, because it encapsulates what it’s like to experience deep heartache and find joy in the journey again. When hardship struck my life in 2018, telling the story of my family legacy has helped me rediscover my purpose and passion.

What should our readers know about your business?
Joe T Garcia’s is a legendary Fort Worth dining experience in the center of our family home. For almost 100 years, my grandmother, aunts, uncles, parents, and cousins have kept Mamasuez’ original recipes alive and cultivated our generational love for good times and great food. Joe T’s has always been a family affair. Even during my years as a stay at home mom, the restaurant held a formative presence in my life, and I’m very proud of the work I’ve done to preserve and share our legacy.

After a life-changing divorce and a stress-induced stroke in 2018, I started over and became the Marketing and PR Director for Joe T’s. Rebuilding my life was incredibly difficult, but finding my voice and working alongside my family again has made it all worth it. Today, I spend my days telling the story of our family and restaurant for the next generation of Fort Worthians. Trying to encapsulate almost 100 years of history into new marketing methods can be difficult, but our story is timeless and we’re thrilled to share it with the world in new ways!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Of course for me, the perfect week in Fort Worth centers around great food! But first, start off your Fort Worth visit right by staying at The Hotel Dryce- it’s family owned here in the heart of our cultural district, and it’s co-founded by a dear friend of mine, Jonathan Morris. Next up, breakfast at Paris Café is a must! They have been serving classic, delicious diner food since 1926. And when you get hungry again, Righteous Foods is the go-to place for a great smoothie or artisan mid-day meal. My brother Lanny Lancarte, II founded this restaurant to create healthy, delicious food- and he delivers every time! My repeat orders are the “Ghost of a Green Lantern” smoothie and the Ahi Tuna Pokè bowl.

For dessert, you have to try MELT Ice Creams on Magnolia, where my friend Kari Crowe is hand-crafting the best ice cream in town (especially the Cookie Crush flavor). And on your way there, stop into The Worthy Co. to find handmade gifts for your friends and support women in the most beautiful ways. Melissa Ice founded this incredible non-profit to employ and empower survivors of trafficking, and some of my most treasured pieces come from their shop.

Finally, for the most iconic Fort Worth dinner experience, we’d love to have you at our family home, Joe T Garcia’s! Enjoy the lush garden patio, our great-grandmother’s authentic recipes, and the one-of-a-kind atmosphere that’s kept Fort Worth coming back for three generations. While you’re here, be sure to try our Skinny Margarita or famous Pina Coladas!
If you’re planning ahead for your stay, check the events calendars at Dickies Arena or Billy Bobs. Their venues feature some of the biggest names in music as well as traditional Fort Worth events like horse shows, rodeos, and local live bands.
You can’t go wrong in Fort Worth– this is truly the place to be!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate this to the powerful women of Joe T’s have made me who I am today!

My great-grandmother, Mamasuez, built Joe T’s alongside my great-grandfather Joe T. Garcia with no more than a 6th-grade education, unable to speak English and without any resources or support. She started this restaurant in their home, serving food out of the kitchen to support her family.

After Joe T. passed away, my grandmother Hope Garcia Lancarte stepped in, and together, these two women kept the restaurant afloat. When my mother Jody Lancarte married my father (Hope’s oldest son) at the early age of 17, she immediately joined Hope and Mamasuez, pouring her heart into the family business. Mom helped to build, launch, and grow the events coordination business, and along the way, she championed a charitable, giving culture at the restaurant.
Meanwhile, she raised three young children, and as Mamasuez grew older, Mom welcomed her into our home as well. I still remember watching both women start every day with diligence and determination: Mom getting ready for work, and Mamasuez cooking breakfast.

I spent every free moment with my father’s sisters, Zurella and Elizabeth.. I was Zurella’s oldest niece, and she spoiled me with amazing experiences, trips, and adventures. Elizabeth and I grew up like sisters, and we created some of my most treasured memories together.

Regardless of the challenges they encountered, the amazing women in my family displayed confidence, work ethic, and a love for family that changed me forever!

Website: www.joetgarcias.com

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Other: joetgarcias – instagram

Image Credits
Blissful Sky Studio Amber Shumake Sydnie Liska Photograhy