Nine24 Kitchen, Source Café & Sweetrise

Chef Amber Caudle, Beth Hannemann and Cindy Van Pelt began their partnership in 2018 and established Source Collab hospitality group in 2022, which features Source Café in Hermosa Beach, Nine24 Kitchen in Manhattan Beach and the soon-to-be-launched custom cake company Sweetrise. Amber and Cindy have worked in the restaurant industry since they were young teenagers, and Beth worked in data analytics before joining the team.

Why did you choose to go into this career field?

Amber: I opened The Source Café 10 years ago when my health took a crash and I was desperate to feel better. I was determined to heal my body with nourishing food and also inspire others about the importance of what we put into our bodies. To this day, my mission is to make a paradigm shift in the world through food.

Beth: After dealing with daunting family and health issues, I left the corporate world to focus on my health and well-being. Once I met Chef Amber, I finally found a place where my passions for food and numbers collided.

Describe your leadership style. 

Cindy: I like to lead our team with a style that says coworker before boss. We are in the service industry, and being of service to each other is the perfect segue to how we as a team treat our guests. It’s really important not to micromanage our team members. When they have the freedom and support to do what they do best, then we are all shining in our own light. 

What is the best advice you’ve heard?

Beth: All of the struggles and failures will make you stronger on the other side. Don’t dwell on the past—move forward and learn from your mistakes. The more you take care of your health and well-being, the better you will be to all others in the world.

Tell us about Sweetrise. 

Cindy: I’m so excited about our newest Source Collab addition, Sweetrise. It’s a passion project of mine and has definitely been a labor of love. As an alternative baker, I strive to twist traditional sweets into clean, allergen-free treats. Seeing the happiness on kids’ faces when they try something new is such a source of joy for me. 

How do you encourage honest, open employee dialogue?

Amber: I wanted to create an environment where our team members feel they have a voice. We have worked hard to build an open dialogue with all of our teams. We are honest with our employees about what we need, and they feel safe coming to us whenever they need to voice something. We allow space for everyone to be heard. When there is an issue, nothing is swept under the carpet. We deal with it, find a solution and move on.