For James Dutra, owner of Harvest Restaurant in Oxford, NC, Good things have always come in threes.

He is fortunate to have found and realized three loves in his life. The first is his wife, Lori. The two met when they were students at UNC-Chapel Hill. James was there studying journalism, while Lori was attending law school. Little did they know the journey they would be on, but knew they would be together.

His second love was journalism, specifically the newspaper business. He worked as editor of a Florida paper when the couple briefly lived in Florida, and then returned to the region, ultimately becoming the award-winning editor of the Henderson Daily Dispatch. An Air Force veteran, he knew the value of not making emotional decisions, but rather looking at the entire landscape. Therefore, in the late 1990s when he perused the horizon, he realized the newspaper industry may not provide the most stable future. This led to the resurrection of his third love: cooking. "I’ve always loved cooking," says James. "Making a career in the restaurant business was always a dream, but I needed a start…even though it was a late start."

Armed with little formal experience but a body of confidence, James figured why not shoot high. With several loaves of bread that he had baked, James went into the Magnolia Grill in Durham and applied as an entry level baker. The iconic restaurant was a landmark in Durham owned by Ben and Karen Barker. Both were James Beard Award-winning chefs, she as a pastry chef – so this was somewhat like a weekend touch football player walking up to Tom Brady and declaring, "we should be teammates." Appreciating there was talent, but little experience, James was told, thank you, but no. However, Karen Barker sent him over to her friend, Sherry Kinlaw, owner of Francesca’s Dessert Caffé.

This connection led to a three-year run at Francesca’s, followed by nearly ten years at Magnolia Grill where James returned to work with Ben Barker as a prep cook. In 2008, James joined Magnolia colleagues Billy and Kelli Cotter as they opened Toast in Durham. "I always thought a sandwich shop like Toast would work in Oxford, but I wanted to get an education in how to make it happen."

Then in 2010 a beautiful house became available in Downtown Oxford. Having lived in the area since 1989, James and Lori knew the building would be a perfect home for their Harvest Restaurant. Lori’s law office is based in Oxford, so the opportunity for both to work "in-town" also made the leap to open their own restaurant make sense. They added a commercial kitchen and discovered nearly 100 years of beautiful plaster walls, hardwood floors and original windows. Harvest opened in downtown Oxford in 2011.

Nestled in downtown Oxford, Harvest Restaurant may best be described as a farm-to table sandwich café. "The best ingredients are found close to home," explains James. Additionally, breads and soups, as well as desserts, are made fresh in house. The result is a meal that combines a casual, welcoming environment, with food that reflects the love and preparation that goes into each plate.

Harvest currently serves lunch Monday thru Friday and offers takeout on Tuesday nights and recently took part in "Quittin’ Time" a Thursday evening "eat and stroll" held during May and June in downtown Oxford.

With 10 years under their belt, James and Lori are now looking again to the future. Not surprising, it is coming in threes. "We want to help Oxford continue to grow. Not beyond its roots – we love the hometown feel – but want to see it get better and better," says James. He also wants to see other restaurants and chefs come and be successful in the community. "The more options in town for the dining public, the better. Heck, I want to eat at different places," jokes James.

Finally, not lost on James are the incredible mentors and friends he has partnered with along the way. Given this legacy, he wants to grow the talent he now has in-house. "We’ve added some wonderful people to our staff and I’d really like to see where they can help take Harvest." The trip continues.

For more information on Harvest Restaurant, you can call them at (919) 603-1460 or visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/harvestofoxford.