Baked in Romance

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: 2021/11 – November

Patricia McCall and Jon Caddell

Patricia McCall and Jon Caddell met in the spring of 2013 at Cornucopia Restaurant in Cashiers. 

Jon had taken the job after graduation from the Culinary School of the Rockies in Colorado, and Patricia, who had grown up in Cashiers, had just finished high school. 

On visits to the pastry shop for baked goods, Jon thought Patricia was cute.  

For her part, Patricia appreciated that Jon “would always come over and help without my having to ask.” But the summer was busy, and neither had time for a relationship or conversation.  

Patricia recalls that, “The only thing he ever asked me was if he could have more biscuits.” 

In the fall, Jon returned to Colorado, and Patricia was pretty sure he wouldn’t return.

But the following year, Jon relocated to Cashiers to help start up Slabtown Pizza, and Patricia joined the team.  

This time they couldn’t stop themselves from falling for each other.  

Jon recalled that “I fell in love initially because of how intelligent she is – it’s hard not to notice that.  And Patricia’s a kind person – she knows how to bring out the best in others.”  

“Jon’s quiet and doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does, he makes the funniest remarks “Patricia remembered thinking, “and he’s also patient, respectful, and kind to other people.”

When they realized they wanted to take their relationship beyond the kitchen, Patricia returned to Cornucopia. 

That September, Patricia started college at Western Carolina University.  It marked the beginning of a string of moves that would test the liaison for more than five years.  

Yet the real long-distance odyssey only began in the fall of 2016 when Patricia enrolled at Campbell Law School in Raleigh. It wasn’t easy at first – they weren’t used to being apart for such long spells.  They kept in touch with daily emails, texts and calls, and monthly visits. 

In December 2018, on a path lined with Christmas lights at Colorado’s Broadmoor Hotel, Jon got down on one knee and proposed.  They married on September 21, 2019, at the old Courthouse in Sylva.  

After a honeymoon to Greece and Venice, the couple moved into Patricia’s Grandmother’s former home in Franklin.  

Patricia works for Pisgah Legal Services and Jon continues as Executive Chef at Slabtown Pizza.  They have learned to adapt to the different schedules demanded by their careers – Jon now takes Sundays and Mondays off and tries to be home early on other nights.   

As Jon says, “the best part of our relationship is how much we care for one another and how much we want to help each other out.  We put the smiles on each other’s faces.”