As the city of Bessemer grew, so did LaTasha Cook-Williams.
The 45-year-old Marvel City native is the first woman and first African American to serve as president of the Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce, a position she has held since 2015.
“I am excited to set some examples and, hopefully, make it easier for the generation after me when it comes to taking leadership positions,” she said.
Cook-Williams said she has noticed gradual changes with businesses in Bessemer since she started working with the chamber as an intern in 1992.
“It was predominately Caucasian [back then], … but I’ve seen diversity shift in Bessemer, even in the leadership positions,” she said. “More [people of color] are getting involved and knowing how important it is to reach their customer base.”
Oats, who moved to Tuscaloosa from Buffalo nearly two years ago to reinvigorate the Crimson Tide hoops program, may be a recent convert, but he is just one of the many Bright Star regulars who’ve grown to appreciate the culinary delights of one of the 114-year-old restaurant’s signature dishes.
While the Bright Star is renowned for its fresh seafood - from the crab claws to the stuffed shrimp - the snapper dishes are the stars of the show here. And for those who know, it doesn’t get any better than the snapper throats.
“Most of the loyal clientele that come here, they’re educated in what we do here,” Andreas Anastassakis, the restaurant’s executive chef and co-owner, says of the Bright Star’s distinctive dish. “They’re familiar with it. They know it’s a delicacy. They come here for it. It brings people in.