Anita Hsu of Sweet Auburn Barbecue: The Family Legacy and Relentless Drive That Propels a Multi-Restaurant Pioneer

As a part of our series about Women Founders, we had the pleasure of interviewing Anita Hsu.

Anita Hsu is the dynamic owner-partner of seven acclaimed restaurants in Georgia, including Sweet Auburn Barbecue, Gezzo’s Brands, Tio Lucho’s, and Lazy Betty. Born and raised in Georgia’s Henry and Spalding counties, Anita grew up immersed in her parents’ Chinese-American eateries. From a young age, she learned every aspect of the restaurant business, from bussing tables to mastering food preparation.

After college, with the steadfast support of her family, Anita and her brother Howard founded Gezzo’s in McDonough, inspired by the vibrant West Coast burrito scene. Their successful partnership continued as they ventured into the world of barbecue, evolving from a food truck to a food stall at Sweet Auburn Curb Market, and eventually to a dedicated location on North Highland Avenue. Simultaneously, Anita closely followed her brother Ron’s culinary journey, which led to their collaboration on the Michelin-starred Lazy Betty. During the challenges of the Covid pandemic, Anita seized the opportunity to partner with visionary chefs like Arnaldo Castillo and Pit Master David Maiolo, leading to the creation of the James Beard-nominated Tio Lucho’s and the opening of a second bustling Sweet Auburn Barbecue location in McDonough.

Anita’s achievements have been recognized in Southern Journal Magazine’s 30 Under 30, the Henry Tourism Bureau’s documentary series “History Has a Name”, and multiple features on the Cooking Channel. She proudly serves as a member of Giving Kitchen’s Atlanta Engagement Council and is a graduate of the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Leadership Program.

Anita’s journey highlights her unwavering commitment to culinary excellence, deeply influenced by her family and driven by a culture of trust, respect, passion, and leadership. She firmly believes that sustainable success in hospitality is built on genuine care for team members, vendors, and guests alike.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

Food has always been my life. My family owned and operated some of the best Chinese restaurants in metro Atlanta. Celebrations were always surrounded by home made foods. I graduated from Woodward Academy and pursued a pre-medicine track at UGA. I received a scholarship to study Acupuncture at the University of Chinese Medicine in Nanjing, China. During my time living and working there, I felt like I was neglecting my creative side and the pull of the culinary world was tugging at my heart. So, when I returned to America, I spent some time soul searching and worked at a small burrito chain, as a sushi chef, and waiting tables in an Indian restaurant in Athens, Ga. I realized I was truly most happy around food and serving people through the craft of restaurant hospitality. With only 1 year left of college, I spent the rest of the year testing recipes, finished my degree in Biology, and opened Gezzos West Coast Burritos only a few days after graduation.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

I’ve had so many interesting experiences because I’ve been working for a longtime…don’t remind me that I am old! Haha! I had the honor of participating at Hot Luck Food festival, Aaron Franklin’s BBQ festival in Austin Texas with my brother/partner Howard. We’ve met some amazing chefs and participated in some great music shows. I also really enjoyed being a brand ambassador for Tillamook and serving our Pimento Cheese Wonton’s at Feast Portland Food Festival. It was really cool to be part of a multiday food festival across the country and working with other passionate chefs. I also got to cook on a show for food network with my mother Betty and brother/partner Chef Ron of Lazy Betty. We won the family cooking battle, so It was so fun to be in a friendly competition doing what my family loves most…cooking!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Oh man, I can be really hard on myself, so I wish I could find my mistakes funny! One time, I used salt instead of sugar in a recipe — safe to say it didn’t turn out well. Thankfully, I always taste my food before serving it. I definitely learned to double-check my ingredients!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’m very grateful for my mother Betty Hsu, who is the namesake behind our restaurant, Lazy Betty. She was the hardest working person I know. She immigrated to the US without knowing a soul and barely spoke English. She was a pioneer, opening the first Chinese restaurant in Henry County, worked 7 days a week to send my brothers and I to Woodward Academy, and sponsored each of her siblings (7 total) to the USA to pursue the American Dream. Our extended family has produced award winning chefs, doctors, teachers and military servicemen. Her dream for a better life and opportunity has also benefited our community in so many ways. I work hard everyday because I know it is a fraction of the work she did to help my family be where they are today. And my work helps honor our family’s culinary traditions, her sacrifices and legacy.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

I think women have come a long way. However, there are societal pressures and expectations placed on women that make it difficult for them to identify and choose the path of starting their own business. For example, the choice to become a mother comes with the expectation of being the primary caregiver of the household, which is a full-time job in itself. If she doesn’t have the right partner who is willing to take on the role of primary caregiver, or the financial freedom to hire the right help, she will have a hard time being a successful business owner. I also find that we still live in a patriarchal society where many people view confident, vocal, and opinionated women as tiresome or overbearing. When a man behaves this way, he is seen as a leader and a mover. The narrative and perspective need to change.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

I love what organizations such as the WPO (Women’s Presidents Organization) is doing. They provide a safe place for female leaders to co-exist, support and confide in each other. Let’s be clear, it’s lonely at the top. And even lonelier when the top is only 20% women. I would love to see more resources like this for women. Having a good support system builds confidence and strengthens female leaders to continue to do their work.

I also believe there should be more portrayals of women leaders in the media, arts, and culture. When young women can visualize themselves as leaders, the steps to achieving that become much more real and tangible. What does that look like in reality? It means having a husband or partner who is willing to take on tasks like soccer carpool, arranging playdates, and managing the bills, even if it means missing some recitals and social events. It should also look like women giving direct orders, motivating a team, and having difficult conversations in a work setting.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

I think most woman are very good with relationships and understanding people’s motivations. It takes that skill to bring a group of people together and work towards a common goal. Women are creative thinkers and problem solvers. No matter how much you plan, your business and the economy can be unpredictable. Being able to pivot and find solutions when needed is vital to being a successful founder and good leader of an organization. Most importantly, women are great listeners and they manage their egos well. Behind every successful leader, are lots of people helping along the way. Being able to listen to advice or consider the opinions of others can have a huge impact on a team’s success.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

I’m not sure there are many myths I would want to dispel, except for the idea that being a founder is always glamorous and fun. In reality, it requires a lot of sacrifice and discipline.

Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

No, not everyone has the skills or traits required to be a founder. Being self-driven, ambitious, high-energy, creative, determined, brave, and confident are all valuable qualities. A founder begins with a vision and works toward it, even when things are uncertain, scary, or difficult. This person must be able to persevere during tough times and find solutions that aren’t always obvious.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Learn more about branding.
2. You will need to be adaptable.
3. Surround yourself with people who are smarter or more skilled than you.
4. Be grateful every day, for both the challenges and the positives.
5. Ask for help — it’s not a sign of weakness to do so.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

We started hosting our annual Chinese New Year party at Sweet Auburn BBQ because of the community-building tradition our parents instilled in us. Sweet Auburn BBQ has become a staple in the Atlanta community. Gezzo’s, Tio Lucho’s, and Sweet Auburn BBQ have sponsored many local schools, including, but not limited to, Virginia Highland Elementary, Springdale Park Elementary, Mary Lin Elementary, Suzuki School, The Paideia School, Midtown High School, and Woodward Academy. We host fundraising events, sponsor teacher appreciation mixers, and bring our food trucks to these schools. Over the years, we’ve donated over $50,000 in financial aid, in-kind sponsorships, and products to support our community. When our mother passed away, we hosted an art show featuring her paintings at Sweet Auburn BBQ, with 100% of the sales going to cancer research.

We are regular donors to organizations like Giving Kitchen, Trees Atlanta, the High Museum of Art, Cure Cancer, Asians Advancing Justice, World Central Kitchen, Julie’s Dream, the Latin American Association, A Friend’s House, the James Beard Foundation, Friends of Refugees, and many more. I also serve on the Atlanta Advisory Council for Giving Kitchen, helping to raise community awareness about their work supporting food service workers during times of crisis.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

You never know what your idea can trigger. I would love to see everyone work in customer service, community service, or hospitality for at least one year of their life. I believe this would make people more compassionate, less entitled, and more grateful as they learn to serve others. Ultimately, I’d like to see humanity become kinder and more gracious.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

There are so many… Taylor Swift has broken records and been a pioneer in reshaping the music industry. Or Dan Cathy — I’m sure he would have so much valuable advice for me!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.