Lumi Bekteshi, a pie-maker at the historic Palms Grill Cafe in downtown Atlanta, Ill., on Route 66, was honored by the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism, according to a story by Lee News Service.
Bekteshi won the award in Rosemont as part of a series of “Lincoln Awards,” inspired by the Oscar-nominated Steven Spielberg film. The awards honored people who work behind the scenes to promote tourism through their jobs or other means.
“I didn’t expect anything like this,” she said last week. “It means a lot to me and it means a lot to the people of Atlanta because they are a part of it.”
Bekteshi, a native of Albania, has lived in Atlanta for 12 years and became an American citizen a year ago.
A few months ago, the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway posted this video about Bekteshi and her pies:
A few weeks ago, the nonprofit board that owns the Palms Grill Cafe announced it would seek a new operator for the restaurant by May. However, the board said the pie recipes would stay with the business regardless.