40     |    VIPDestinMagazine.com

T

hough the fondue craze enjoyed its biggest 

heyday back in the 70’s when dinner parties 

were all the rage, there’s a reason that 

skewering pieces of food with tiny, long-

handled forks and plunging them into miniature pots 

of molten goodness caught on like a house on fire. Now 

enjoying a resurgence in popularity, after a brief hiatus 

took it out of vogue until the early 2000s, fondue is 

making people melt all over again…and The Melting 

Pot is definitely turning up the heat.  

Having started with the brand more than a decade 

ago and working up from server to area manager in her 

home state of South Carolina, Lucinda Hollis and her 

fiancé Auburn Bridge were given the opportunity to 

become franchisees of their very own location as part of 

The Path to Growth program. Since taking ownership 

of the Destin location of this popular franchise at the 

beginning of 2017, Hollis and Bridge have been keeping 

the pots hot, giving guests something that one won’t 

find in traditional dining environments, making food a 

more personally engaging, interactive experience that 

naturally lends itself to intimate date nights, social 

gatherings, and…did someone say ladies’ night?

“Dining with us is unlike anything else you’ll find 

in Destin,” says Hollis. “It’s hands-on fun that really 

encourages people to slow down, unplug for a couple 

hours, and enjoy one another’s company. We want our 

guests to play with their food!” she laughs.

And that’s certainly something that we could use 

more of—taking the chance to unplug and connect 

and play. It’s how we build relationships and create 

friendships, and with events like their monthly Ladies 

Night Out, The Melting Pot is giving women the 

perfect reason to meet up and let their hair down. 

Offering four courses of melted magic, the night begins 

with creamy cheese melted tableside and served with 

a delicious variety of artisan breads and fresh produce 

story by

 Liesel Schmidt |

 

photos by

 

Front Burner Photos

Dipping and Sipping

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8/27/17   1:30 PM